Nurse Isabelle and the Kanto Pokédex: the Diary of a Travelling Nurse
by Iridescent Isabelle
Summary: [NIP season one] Isabelle Evergreen is a Pokémon nurse, travelling around Kanto to give health care on the road. Story includes themes such as romance, realism, Pokémon variations, and Pokémon as friends with personalities, not mindless tools.
1. 001 Bulbasaur

**#001 Bulbasaur – Rewritten at 01/09/16**

 _Bulbasaur, the Seed Pokémon. The grass-type starter of the Kanto region, raised by Breeders to be distributed to new trainers. Through selective breeding and having been domesticated from birth, Bulbasaur is regarded as both a rare and well-behaved Pokémon. It is known to be extremely loyal, even after long-term abandonment. Bulbasaur has also shown himself to be an excellent caretaker, even having a special technique called "Bulba-by" (reference to a lullaby). To perform this technique, Bulbasaur uses its vines to pick up a young Pokémon and soothingly rocks it in the air._

 _Bulbasaur can be ground in grasslands and forests throughout the Kanto region. However, due to its status as a starter Pokémon, it is hard to come by in the wild. If one were to find a wild one, it may have a different personality than the domesticated variants. It has been observed that a Bulbasaur's bulb will flash blue when it is ready to evolve. – Nurse Evergreen._

Nurse Isabelle Evergreen had been summoned to Pallet Town, where she would meet with Professor Oak. The local Pokémon Professor was well known and loved in the region, so Isabelle had been overjoyed to receive his email. It was with spirits soaring high that she packed her backpack and left for Pallet town. It was a really pleasant day in September; the sun was shining gently and there was a slight breeze. Most young trainers chose their starter this month and set out on the path of independence. It seemed only fitting that Isabelle could start her journey this month as well.

When Pallet town was only another hour of walking away, Izzy pulled out her phone and dialled the number she'd been given.

"Good day, Professor. This is Nurse Isabelle Evergreen. I'm calling about your summons; you see, I'll be there in an hour." In her eagerness to sound professional, the 19-year-old's voice trembled.

"Excellent! I suppose this is as good a time as any to explain what's going on, hm? As you know, the starters are chosen this month. The three from around Pallet have already visited a few days ago and taken theirs on their journey around the region. However, one girl has not shown up and Bulbasaur was not chosen. He's been acting strange since. I've been unable to get him to eat. That's why I called you. You've recently graduated as a nurse, right?"

"Yes sir. I'm honoured to be working with you!"

Professor Oak laughed. "I'm sure you are. Since you wish to travel the region as well, as a nurse, not as a trainer seeking to challenge the gyms, your mentor and I found it fitting to have this as your first case. Now, be swift. I haven't got all day!" Oak's smile was audible in his voice.

Pallet town was a lovely, little town. Having grown up in the big city herself, Isabelle loved the activity that came with it, but sometimes even she could not deny the charms of small-town living. Oak's laboratory laid on top of the hill, surrounded by endless fields where the Pokémon he researched lived.

Upon reaching the tall, wooden house, Isabelle knocked gently, but no one answered. Izzy knocked again. The booming sound echoed through the hallway beyond but still no answer. The door, however, swung open at such violence.

"Hello?" Isabelle called out. "It's me, Isabelle!" Only silence greeted her. Sighing, she headed inside, accidentally bumping her backpack against the doorpost as she turned around to close the door. Wandering carefully through the hallway, Izzy found a glass door leading to the greenhouse. Just inside, a Bulbasaur laid on his stomach with his eyes tightly shut, pretending to be asleep in the sun. Isabelle could tell he was awake by the exaggerated breathing, the tightly shut eyes, and the tension in his paws. Carefully, Isabelle slid the glass door open and sat on the floor, dangling her feet outside in the greenhouse. Her white trousers suddenly felt too restricting in the warm air of the temperature-controlled glass house. Still, she had other matters to attend to.

"Hello, Bulbasaur," she told the grass-type lying nearby. There came no reply, but she had not expected one from him. Izzy paused a moment to look him over, which lead to her seeing how dry his bulb looked. He wasn't in the best of health.

"Shall I tell you a story? This place reminds me of it. When I was younger, I used to have a few close friends. We were a funny, little group. Me, the daughter of a Pokémon Nurse; Erika, the daughter of the local Gymleader; and … what was her name?" Isabelle stayed silent for a moment, thoughtfully, and then laughed. "I honestly can't remember. Anyway, she was the daughter of someone who'd won the Indigo League, I believe. That Kanto battle tournament. We were really close. Despite our differences, we did everything together. I hope you have ever felt, or will ever feel that for yourself. It's one of the best feelings in the world, to have such a tight group."

Bulbasaur let out a hoarse croak; he was too well-mannered to ignore someone for a long time.

"Less than ten years ago, we separated. One of them accepted her starter from the Pokémon centre, set out on her journey, and forgot to write back. The other, Erika, was now old enough to learn how a gym was being run and was always busy there. And I? I finished the Trainer's school and then went to Nursing school. It really hurt to lose them, but you know what they say? Just keep on going."

A light weight on Isabelle's leg made her look over. Bulbasaur had gotten up and rested his head on her thigh. Izzy smiled fondly and stroked his head.

"I know how you feel. You were close to the other starters, weren't you? That is no reason to stop eating though, Bulba. Come on," she patted her lap and helped the bulky grass-type up on her lap. She did not care his muddy paws would give her grass-stains. Isabelle wrapped her arms around him, clasping them underneath his bulb and looked at him, nose to nose. She made sure she had eye-contact with his red eyes.

"I'm starting my journey today. The major towns have Pokémon Centres, but there still isn't enough healthcare available for any and every Pokémon out there. In the Orange Islands, a Joy canoes between several islands. I want to be like her, but here on the mainland. I'll become one of the first travelling nurses. But you know what they say, it isn't safe to go alone. So, my little Bulbasaur, will you come with me and be my starter?"

This request was received with an ecstatic cry and a rough lick of his dried-out tongue. Only then did Professor Oak show up with lemonade, sandwiches, and Pokémon food. Bulbasaur leaped ungracefully off her lap and devoured the food as if he hadn't eaten in days, which was probably true. The nutrients in his bulb had sustained him, though.

Professor Oak had another little gift for her: it was her very own Pokédex. He explained she'd see many Pokémon during her travels and expressed his wish she recorded their data. The device did most of the work. All she had to do was scan them and possibly add some extra data if an anomaly was to be found.

Filled with lunch and re-energised, Isabelle and Bulbasaur set out on their journey. Izzy promised to keep him updated with emails on what she found out there in Kanto. They waved until Oak went back inside and then turned around to face the open world that laid in front of them. Time to start an adventure.


	2. 002 Ivysaur

**#002 Ivysaur – Rewritten 01/09/16**

 _Ivysaur, the Seed Pokémon. The evolved form of Bulbasaur. When the bulb has grown even bigger, its weight now prevents Ivysaur from standing on its hind legs and forces its legs to grow sturdier. When its flower is ready to bloom, it gives off a distinct, strong, sweet-smelling aroma and starts swelling. Ivysaur will also start spending more time in the sunlight in preparation for its upcoming evolutions. Exposure to sunlight adds to the strength of both Ivysaur and its plant, so a garden is a must when you own one of these Pokémon. Just as with Bulbasaur, Ivysaur are rare in the wild, as many are in captivity. – Nurse Evergreen._

It was like Bulbasaur had never been outside in his entire, young life. The little, ecstatic grass-type's attention span has hit an all-time low. One moment, he was stomping his little paws to see how the grass bent and straightened underneath him. Another moment, he dashed forward to smell some shrubbery that he and Nurse Isabelle passed on their way through the gardens of Professor Oak's. The sun was still shining as pleasantly as it had that morning and all was calm, so Isabelle found it easy to share in her newly adopted Pokémon's happiness.

These fields were filled with the Pokémon owned by the trainers under Professor Oak. He would store and care for the Pokémon they weren't using and in exchange, he could study them all. The trainers that received their Pokémon from a Pokémon centre sent their Pokémon to said centre, where they were cared for when they were not with the trainer.

When they neared the outer edge of these seemingly endless fields, cries of distress could be heard. Quickening their gait, they encountered the backside of a Pokémon that looked similar to Bulbasaur. The hint of red inside the bulb as the first petals had already opened revealed it as an Ivysaur.

This Ivysaur had gotten himself in quite a predicament; possibly lured by the sounds and smells of the town, he seemingly had tried to crawl underneath the wooden fence that surrounded the place. However, the big bulb on his back could not fit under and now the pudgy thing was stuck.

With a little giggle, Isabelle leapt nimbly over the fence and knelt down in front of him, stroking his frowning face gently.

"It's okay, sweetie. We'll get you out," she cooed at him. "Bulbasaur, could you wrap your vines around his body? When I give you the signal, I want you to pull."

"Saur!" That sounded like an affirmative. Isabelle gently placed her hands on where his shoulders would be.

"Now, Bulba!" As Bulbasaur pulled and Izzy pushed, Ivysaur slid free from the fence, dragging some dirt along with him. As Ivysaur stood up and shook himself, Isabelle gently inspected his bulb for damage. Luckily, there was none. The flower was entirely intact. Only Ivysaur's pride seemed to be dented. Isabelle did notice that Ivysaur's skin was a darker colour than her own Bulbasaur's. She wasn't sure whether this came through evolution or that this was merely a variation among their kind.

As soon as Izzy let the Ivysaur go, the bigger grass-type greeted her own starter excitedly. They talked to each other in their gruff voices, still adorable with young age. Occasionally, they looked at the young nurse with something that resembled a grin. It was very fun to see that even Pokémon could have friends.

Sitting on the offending fence, Isabelle brushed her white trousers off, scratching some at the grass-stains. Her pale pink shirt was unharmed, though. While she didn't wear a uniform, the colour scheme was meant to remind one of the customary outfit the nurses at Pokécentres wore. Instead of the dainty slippers, she wore comfortable sneakers that followed the same colour pattern.

Isabelle watched as Bulbasaur conversed with what seemed to be a close friend as she played with the Pokédex she had received. She scanned the Ivysaur and typed a tiny remark about this Pokémon's slightly darker hide. Izzy hoped that if she kept this up in a neat fashion, her work would be of use to Professor Oak, who had been so kind to give the remaining Bulbasaur to her.

She allowed them to play a little and catch up before calling Bulbasaur back. The sun had started its descent and the sky had gone from a light blue to shades of orange and purple. Her starter hobble-ran his way over to Izzy, rubbed his head affectionately against her leg, and cried out a farewell to the Ivysaur, who returned back to the lab for food time.

Rubbing Bulbasaur's head lovingly, Isabelle lifted him over the fence and set out back to Pallet town, where they would spend the night before heading out on a new day of their adventure.


	3. 003 Venusaur

**#003 Venusaur**

 _Venusaur, the Seed Pokémon. Bulbasaur's final evolution and the evolved form of Ivysaur. Venusaur uses its flower to catch the sun's rays to convert them into energy, which causes the flower to take on colours that are more vibrant. The flower releases a soothing scent that attracts Pokémon. This scent becomes stronger after a rainy day. Venusaur has demonstrated the ability to manipulate nature and lead evolution ceremonies for Bulbasaur and Ivysaur. This Pokémon is rarely found in the wild, but has been known to inhabit grasslands._

Nurse Isabelle remembered clearly when she first encountered the final evolution of the Kanto Grass-type starter, Venusaur. It had been on a rather pleasant day on Route 6. As usual, Izzy allowed Bulbasaur out of his ball. After all, how is one supposed to build a bond with a Pokémon if it's always contained in its ball? Once out of his ball, Bulbasaur seemed to scent something. He gave an excited cry and dashed into the tall grass, making him nearly disappear from view. Only the rustling of the grass where it spread for Bulbasaur's bulky body told Izzy where her Pokémon was. It ran to a clearing, near the lake, where a massive shape could be seen. The soothing scent became stronger as they approached. When they were near, Izzy understood what the shape was. It was a Venusaur and it was quite a bit higher than herself. Venusaur were rare to find in the wild because most Bulbasaur are bred in captivity. The best chance of finding a Venusaur was encountering one that had been freed or abandoned by its trainer.

Near the Venusaur was a bush that caught Isabelle's attention. The yellow, roundish shape of the berries that hung from it was unmistakable. Sitrus berries! She opened her berry case after pulling it out of her backpack. Slowly, she made her way to the berry bush, hoping not to agitate the Pokémon that was not only taller than her but also heavier. Unfortunate, this Venusaur turned out not to be keen on trainers Grunting its species, a blue cloud waved up from his flower. Immediately recognising it as the move Sleep Powder, Isabelle dashed away, out of reach. Cursing softly, she returned to where she thought Bulbasaur was, only to find out that he had gone towards the moody Venusaur. Totally in awe, he looked up at his final evolution, probably imagining the day he looked like that.

Watching the two of them, it became clear that Bulbasaur tried to impress Venusaur by showing off that he, too, could use Sleep Powder, though all he managed was a tiny little puff. Venusaur laughed and demonstrated it again, making sure not to hit the smaller Grass-type.

Since it was becoming quite dangerous to stay near them, Isabelle wandered off a little to look for more Sitrus berries. She desperately wanted to have some since they regenerated health and acted as painkillers. She found a couple, but the bushes they were on had already been plucked by other humans or Pokémon. None of them were as full as the bush near Venusaur.

After half an hour, she returned to the place where she left Bulbasaur. To her surprise, Venusaur was looking rather drowsy with a proud Bulbasaur in front of him. Bulbasaur even held some of the Sitrus berries in his vines, holding them out for her. A brilliant smile curled on Izzy's face and she knelt down in front of Bulbasaur to rub his head thoroughly, whispering the praise he deserved. With his vines, he plucked the berries and gave them to his trainer. Within minutes, her berry case was overflowing with Sitrus berries. Venusaur had fallen asleep while they worked, so Izzy and Bulbasaur left quietly before Venusaur woke up. It would be rather useful for a nurse to have a Pokémon that knows Sleep Powder.


	4. 004 Charmander

**#004 Charmander**

 _Charmander, the Lizard Pokémon. A fire burns at the tip of this Pokémon's slender tail, and has blazed there since Charmander's birth. The flame can be used as an indication of Charmander's health and mood, burning brightly when the Pokémon is strong, weakly when it is exhausted, wavering when it is happy, and blazing when it is enraged. It is said that Charmander dies if its flame goes out. However, if the Pokémon is healthy, the flame will continue to burn if gets a bit wet and is said to steam in the rain. Charmander can be found in hot, mountainous areas. However, it is found far more often in the ownership of Trainers. Charmander exhibits pack behaviour, calling others of its species if it finds food._

Nurse Isabelle's journey to heal sick Pokémon as a travelling nurse brought her to Cinnabar Island after receiving a worried call from the Nurse Joy there. Living on an island meant that all medicine had to be shipped in and, occasionally, a shipload was late. The late delivery had come in at an exceptionally bad time; since many young trainers had challenged the Cinnabar Gym Leader in the last couple of days and had lost against the Fire Type trainer. Because of this, Nurse Joy was extremely busy with treating the injured and burned Pokémon and could not go to get more medicine herself.

Packed full with supplies, Isabelle arrived by a small fisher's boat, shakily stepping foot on shore again. So, the young Nurse didn't want to waste any time and thus she tugged her bags higher over her shoulders and marched up to the Pokécentre. Because she was a nurse herself, she did not waste time at the reception and walked in, trusting the basic layout was the same to find the medicine storage where she could unpack. Someone would find her as she worked. She still wore the characteristic colour scheme of a Pokémon Centre Nurse so no one would accuse her of being an intruder. Eventually, as she put the last potions away, Nurse Joy herself came walking in. She looked flustered and absolutely exhausted, but she had her customary smile on her face.

"I'm so glad you're here. Come with me, I have a treat for you that I haven't managed to give attention to, yet. Oh, and take those burn heals. You're going to need them," Nurse Joy said, earning her a suspicious look from Izzy. Laying the empty bags on the floor, she put a couple burn heals in her own backpack and followed Nurse Joy, who had already left, hastily.

Joy led her into a deeper part of the Centre, where trainers never came. Under a heat lamp in the Hatching Room, two orange eggs laid, unhatched yet. Near those eggs, two young Charmander sat. They were so young their eyes hadn't even opened yet. And still they swayed those burning tails around everywhere as they crawled and fell over the eggs and each other. It was a good thing a glass wall was built around the hatching area or else they would have fallen off the table.

As Isabelle approached, the reason Joy told her to bring the burn heals became evident. Because they could not see yet, let alone control their flaming tail, they burned themselves and each other with the fire, giving them small burns all over their orange bodies.

Smiling fondly, Isabelle pulled up a chair and took one of the Charmander out of the box and cradled it on her lap, careful of the tail. Tickling it gently with her bare hands, she sprayed some burn heal on the blistered skin, rubbing it in gently. As Izzy worked with the first Charmander, its eyes slowly opened and it let out a soft "chaaaar," making Izzy smile fondly. Young Pokémon were adorable in their innocence.


	5. 005 Charmeleon

**#005 Charmeleon**

 _Charmeleon, the Flame Pokémon. The evolved form of Charmander. In the rocky mountains where Charmeleon live, their fiery tails shine at night like stars. Charmeleon has a vicious nature and will constantly seek out opponents. Strong opponents excite this Pokémon, causing it to spout bluish-white flames that torch its surroundings. However, it will relax once it has won. It is rare in the wild, but it can be found in mountainous areas._

Charmeleon were known as tricky Pokémon to handle, especially for starters, because they loved to fight. As long as they fought other Pokémon and obeyed their trainers, all was relatively well, but it occasionally happened that Charmeleon turned against their friends and family. Such a case drew Nurse Isabelle's attention. Still on Cinnabar Island, the parents of those baby Charmander were a pack of Charmeleon. Nurse Joy explained to Isabelle where those Charmeleon could be found but warned her. This pack was rather aggressive. A smaller female was seen amongst them that did not look well the previous time Joy saw it. Nurse Joy had asked if Izzy had anything to do, if she didn't, could she please look for that Charmeleon. Just to make sure she was doing better.

The Charmeleon were not hard to follow. They had left a path of destruction with burned grass and claw marks in trees. Just up ahead, she could see the Charmeleon walking uphill, towards the volcano. It was becoming a bit colder so they moved closer to the heat of the lava. Just as Izzy came close to the pack, one of the Charmeleon collapsed and crashed heavily to the ground, causing a cloud of dust to billow up. The other Charmeleon barely glanced at their fallen pack mate before continuing. Not wishing to attract the attention of so many Charmeleon without a water Pokémon, Izzy had to hide nearby until the group was gone. Only then did she dash towards the fallen one.

A quick check told her that the Charmeleon was female and was in a rather bad state. Her rusty-red body was covered in scratches that had bled in the past but had already been turned to crusts by her body heat. Whatever skin was not cut up was burned by a fire attack. Her skin was also extremely dry and her claws were tagged. Her tail burned weakly.

Unsure where to begin, Isabelle checked whether the Charmeleon was still alive and breathing. It may sound crude but there was no use in treating a Pokémon that had passed away. Faintly, some scorching air came out of the Fire Type's mouth to show she was still breathing. As she cast a quick glance around to look for the other Charmeleon, Izzy pulled out a potion from the pack she had always with her and began treating the poor, fallen Charmeleon. If this Fire Type still wanted to go back to her group, she had to rejoin them soon. If not, she'd, probably forever, be cast out.

The Charmeleon made no move to get up, though. Taking the choice for her, Isabelle gathered the Fire-type in her arms and started to carry it back to the Pokécentre. It was lighter than the nearly twenty kilos it's supposed to weigh and it worried her. Charmeleon's flame was still rather weak too, even after administering the potion. If Izzy did not hurry, the Charmeleon wouldn't need to worry about what came after this episode since there might not be anything after it. As Izzy rushed down the side of the volcano, she could hear murmuring behind her. Carefully looking over her shoulder, she saw that the other Charmeleon were back. They did not attack her, though, so the nurse kept walking briskly downhill to get the smaller, female Charmeleon in safety.

It was not hard to get an emergency stretcher for Charmeleon at the Pokécentre. It seems Joy had expected something like this to have happened and had already prepared a room. In there, she worked hard as Izzy washed the dirt off her face. Her pants were yet again filthy because of the dust that caked the ground outside.

After washing up, the young woman stood on the other side of the window overlooking the room in which the recovering Pokémon lied. The smallish Charmeleon rested on a bed nearby, allowing the nurse to watch over her. Her breathing was still too shallow for Izzy's liking and her tail burned merely weakly, though stronger than before. However, the nurse had done the best she could. Now, it was up to the Charmeleon to fight for her life.


	6. 006 Charizard

**#006 Charizard**

 _Charizard, the Flame Pokémon. The final evolution of Charmander and the evolved form of Charmeleon. Charizard's powerful flame can burn absolutely anything. It uses its wings to fly high. The temperature of its fire increases as it gains experience in battle. A Charizard flies around the sky searching for powerful opponents. However, it never turns its fiery breath on any opponent weaker than itself._

Nurse Isabelle could hear him long before she could see him. The mighty roar of a Charizard echoed through Fuchsia city as she spoke to Officer Jenny about the situation. On Route 15 to the east, a Charizard was throwing a fit. Witnesses told the officer that the Fire-type seemed enraged about something. All of them spoke about his Flamethrower as he set the trees around him on fire, but there was only one witness that testified that the Charizard was limping. Just in case, that's why a nurse was called to help with this. From all the nurses in the nearby area, Isabelle was the bravest. Most Pokémon that were brought to Joy were docile and belonged to trainers.

Calling Bulbasaur from his ball, Izzy knelt down just before the exit of the town. She filled Bulbasaur in about what was going on.

"This Charizard isn't attacking to harm anyone. It's probably hurt and confused. We must keep that in mind. Now, I know that a Charizard would have a type advantage against you, that's why I will not force you to battle it. What we do is this: I will distract it, hopefully not get burnt while you wrap your Vine Whip around it from behind to pin his wings and tail to his body and then use your Sleep Powder. Even if he's stronger than you are, it should still make him drowsy and calm him down some. Okay?" "Bulba!" Since that was as good as an answer as she was going to get, the travelling nurse and her Bulbasaur moved out towards Route 15.

It was a risky plan and if she'd tell her friends, they'd be upset with her. But this was her duty as a nurse. This Pokémon needed help and she had to act before a trainer decided to knock the Charizard out with an attack, enraging it even further.

It became hotter and hotter as Izzy approached the site. The trees around here were burning, but the firefighters could not extinguish it until the Charizard would stop torching the whole place.

Bulbasaur sneaked close to the ground, making no noise as he crept away from her to be able to attack Charizard from the back. Isabelle walked slowly and in plain view. The fact that Charizard wasn't doing this to be evil showed in the fact that he did not shoot his flamethrower right at her as soon as he saw her.

"Hey there, big boy," Isabelle said softly, inching towards the enraged Fire-Type with her hands held up. "What's bothering you?"

Severely stressed, the Fire-type huffed and shot fire right up, more to show off than to attack.

"Calm down… Recognise these colours? That's right. I'm a nurse. I can make the pain go away. But only if you let me come close to you," she kept her voice slow and pleasant, trying to be as non-threatening as she could.

Still, the Charizard was too agitated for this because when Isabelle came too near, he reared his wings up to either blow her over or fly up.

"Now, Bulbasaur!" Izzy said urgently, trying her best not to yell. It made her proud to see vines wrap around the orange Pokémon as soon as she gave the command. That dangerous tail and the wings were flattened against his bulky body.

Just in time, Izzy took a few steps back to allow the blue sheen of Sleep Powder to wash over the Fire-type. But the sleep-inducing move came a bit too late. Charizard, feeling betrayed, had shot a small Ember at her, his weakest Fire attack. It glanced against her arm and burned her skin, causing the girl to cry out in pain and grasp her arm. She had no time to worry about herself, though. The Charizard was getting drowsy and had fallen on his behind.

"I'm fine! Keep holding him," she answered the worried cry of her starter. Kneeling onto the scorched grass, Isabelle pulled out his left paw to expose what had been hurting him. His skin was nicely hot but that was no surprise with so much fire-breathing exercise.

She found a nasty cut underneath his foot, probably caused by a sharp rock. That's what had been hurting him this whole time. Taking a potion from her back, she sprayed it over the wound, watching as it healed the cut to a ragged line that would slowly fade as the body's natural healing took over. The pain should be gone as well.

Looking up, she saw the Charizard looking down at her. Because this Charizard was so much stronger than her own Pokémon, Sleep Powder had had little effect. Isabelle was relieved to see the Fire-type looked sane again.

"Hey there, big boy," Isabelle said again, stroking his belly with the flat of her hand, trying to ignore the burning sensation in her arm. "Welcome back to us. Bulbasaur, release him." On her command, the vine whip drew back, freeing the Flame Pokémon.

"Do be more careful, next time. And if you're in pain, just try to find me, okay?" She patted the Charizard on his arm as he spread his wings to fly off, back to where he came from now that he could fly again without pain.


	7. 007 Squirtle

**#007 Squirtle**

 _Squirtle, the Tiny Turtle Pokémon. Squirtle's shell is a useful tool. It can withdraw into the shell for protection or for sleeping, and its grooved, rounded shape helps to reduce water resistance when this Pokémon swims. Squirtle can spray foamy water from its mouth with great accuracy. Squirtle is scarce in the wild, although it can be found around small ponds and lakes. It can be found living on secluded islands with other members of its evolutionary line._

Pokémon could get lonely and depressed when they were always stuck in their Poké Balls, so whenever Nurse Isabelle had the opportunity to let her Pokémon wander around, she took it with open arms. Today, they were at a lake. At one part of the lake a river came crashing down quite roughly, the source was in a massive mountain, suggesting the riverbed was filled with rocks. After Bulbasaur had drunk his fill, they walked next to the little river, following it upstream. The sound of rushing water on such a clear day was relaxing for once. Being a nurse was quite hectic.

Upstream, Isabelle found a highly adorable scene. A group of Squirtle were playing in the rough water. They started at a relatively calm spot and let themselves be pulled by the current as they laid on their shells. Judging from their happy cries, they were having a jolly good time. It made Isabelle smile as she watched them from a bit further away. One of the Squirtle was smaller than the rest. Maybe it was younger, or just tinier in general. The currents especially loved that one, because that Squirtle was swung around the most. It actually worried Isabelle a little.

Izzy absolutely hated it when her gut feeling turned out to be correct. At the tiny Squirtle's next run, a current smashed it against a rock. Two sounds could be heard and neither of them were pleasant: A sickening crack and a pained cry. Floating the rest of the course on its back, the little turtle Pokémon did not enjoy it anymore as it kept crying out in pain. The sound broke her heart. Instincts kicking in, Isabelle dashed to the waterside to rescue the Squirtle who, probably from the pain, was unable to flip over anymore or do anything else, other than cry.

With a mighty leap, Isabelle sprang into the brisk river to get to the Squirtle. Within seconds, even her hair was wet even though she had kept her head above water. The current was stronger than she had expected, but she did not care about it right now. All that mattered was the tiny turtle that needed her help.

Bulbasaur proved himself to be a Pokémon worthy of being a nurse's companion. As soon as Isabelle reached the Squirtle and wrapped her arms around it, he wrapped his Vine Whip around her waist and pulled her back out of the water to prevent her from drowning or being swept away over the rocks.

Crawling back ashore, she smiled at her Grass type, rubbing his head as she kept the whimpering Squirtle against her chest. She had to hold it carefully because her shell was broken. Up close, Isabelle could tell this Squirtle was a female and just generally smaller. She seemed to be just as old as the other Squirtle.

With an injury like this, Squirtle would need to be taken care of for a long time. So Isabelle turned to the other Squirtle and told them she would go to the nearest town with their friend to have her treated at the Pokécentre. Then, soaking wet, Isabelle marched off to get this Squirtle some help as soon as possible. Luckily the Pokécentre, and a shower, wasn't more than a fifteen-minute walk away.

"The things I do for you Pokémon," Isabelle muttered, wiping her wet, blond hair out of her face.


	8. 008 Wartortle

**#008 Wartortle**

 _Wartortle, the Turtle Pokémon. The evolved form of Squirtle. As Wartortle grows old, its tail fur will darken, and it may have algae growing on its shell. The shell may also carry scars from past battles. To maintain balance while swimming at high speeds, Wartortle moves its furry ears and tail. It can use the fur to store air for extended underwater diving. Its tail is a popular symbol of longevity, making it popular with the elderly. It hides in water when hunting and emerges to surprise its prey. Wartortle can be found living in colonies on islands, but its preferred habitat seems to be freshwater ponds and lakes._

When Nurse Isabelle reached the Pokécentre with the injured Squirtle, Nurse Joy took it to the emergency room after tossing Izzy the keys to the nurse's rooms in the back of the centre. There, Izzy took a well-deserved warm shower and dressed in the standard nurse uniform while hers was drying. It felt weird to wear a skirt again. Braiding her wet hair back in a Dutch braid down the back of her head, Isabelle went down to the waiting area, taking up an entire couch, and spent the waiting time brushing Bulbasaur with a soft brush. She even rubbed his bulb with a soft cloth. By the time Nurse Joy returned, Bulbasaur was napping on a sunny spot of one of the couches, sighing contently.

Without saying anything, Isabelle followed Joy into the room she had placed Squirtle. The tiny turtle had been calmed with some medicine, that much was clear from the soft look in her eyes. She looked tinier than ever because her shell was wrapped tightly in bandages to keep the crack together and allow it to heal properly. To calm the Squirtle down a little when the sedation would wear off, Isabelle took some markers and began to colour the bandages in the colours of her own shell, to look less injured. Joy left her alone to do that, as she was called away to heal someone's Pokémon for them. It took over two hours, but when she was done, the belly was pale yellow again and the top was brown. Putting the last of the lines on the 'shield', Isabelle laid the markers aside and pulled up a chair to watch over the Pokémon so it wouldn't be alone when it woke up. Being a wild Squirtle, this was probably her first experience in a Pokécentre.

Some rustling woke Isabelle up. When she opened her eyes, everything was dark. Experience had taught her that if something woke her up in the middle of the night, it was best not to move right away. And that experience proved to be useful yet again. The window had been opened, the sound of which had woken her up, and several Pokémon made their way inside. Even though it was dark and the colours were not clearly visible, their shapes made it clear who they were. These turtles must be the injured Squirtle's friends. A bigger turtle stood underneath the window, catching the Squirtle and lowering them on the floor silently. Its tail was much fuller than those of the Squirtle too.

Watching through her eyelashes, she saw how all the Squirtle had brought gifts. They laid berries and shells everywhere, apples and pretty rocks. It was quite touching to see how they cared for their injured group member. The Squirtle left again, able to climb out of the window themselves, now that their hands were empty. The bigger turtle did not leave just yet. It actually came towards Isabelle and laid its hand on her arm. No longer pretending she was asleep, she lifted her head up to look at the Pokémon. It was a Wartortle, the evolved form of Squirtle.

"Hello, there," Isabelle whispered. This Wartortle was a smart one. Izzy could see its eyes move over her backpack in which some Pokéballs laid. Bulbasaur was still sleeping outside so they were all empty at the moment. Isabelle wasn't worried for Bulbasaur because there was always a nurse at the desk, able to see Bulbasaur laying on the couch. Wartortle looked at Izzy's clothing, recognising the nurse uniform. The female Water Pokémon saw the markers and the drawing on Squirtle's bandages.

"Wartortle," it replied in a voice that was a bit higher pitched, quite like that of the female Squirtle.

"Don't worry about Squirtle. She won't wake up alone. Or do you want to stay here too? You can explain the gifts," Isabelle suggested. Wartortle's reply made her smile. She loved being able to predict Pokémon a little.

Dawn did not take long to arrive and with the rising sun, the Squirtle awoke too. At first, it was confused, but Wartortle took a mighty leap onto the bed and started explaining. In her explanation, the turtle also pointed at nurse Isabelle. As they had waited for the light to appear, Isabelle had explained who she was and what she did. Bulbasaur had even woken up to crawl back to his Poké Ball, letting himself in without even a glance at the Wartortle. That was a good sign.

Wartortle's explanation calmed the Squirtle down and, with delight, it began checking out all the gifts and starting on the apples that were left for her. Assured that Squirtle would be fine, Wartortle leapt off and walked to Isabelle. She pointed at the Poké Balls.

"War! Wartortle! War!" It exclaimed in a manner that felt quite diva-like. It was almost as if she said, "You need me. Take me with you."

"Excuse me? Sure, you may come, but I am in charge, Wartortle. Are we clear?" Isabelle asked, pulling out an empty Poké Ball.

"War," it said sulkily and pressed its claw against the button, allowing itself to be sucked in. The ball didn't even shake once, accepting Wartortle into her team.

"You're going to be an interesting one. But welcome to the team, Wartortle."


	9. 009 Blastoise

**#009 Blastoise**

 _Blastoise, the Shellfish Pokémon. The final evolution of Squirtle and the evolved form of Wartortle. The powerful cannons on this Pokémon's back are capable of producing water blasts that can pierce steel and concrete. Blastoise deliberately makes itself heavy to withstand these powerful blasts, and it will crush its opponents with its bulk. Blastoise can take the role of a leader in large groups of Squirtle and Wartortle. Its preferred habitat seems to be freshwater ponds and lakes._

"Excuse me!" A male voice called out, causing Isabelle to look around. A young man with wild brown hair approached her.

"How can I help you?" Izzy asked, turning to face the man who was about her age.

"You're a nurse, right. Nurse Isabelle?" Isabelle blinked.

"Yes, I am. Have you heard of me?" The young man smiled and nodded in response to her question.

"I have! You've become quite popular among trainers. I'm quite honoured to meet the only travelling nurse in the world!"

Isabelle smiled bashfully, bowing her head to let the bangs done up hair to fall in her face and hide her blush a little.

"The pleasure is all mine. How can I help you?" In answer to that, the trainer pulled two Poké Balls from his belt.

"My name is Gary. Gary Oak. Could you look at my Pokémon for me? There isn't a Pokémon Centre around but they're not hurt. I'd just like them checked up. One of these two is new to my team and I want to make sure she's feeling okay. The other is one of my best."

"Sure! No problem. Show me the first one." Isabelle said, putting her bag on the ground and briefly prepared herself mentally for whatever may come.

The first Pokémon was a Blastoise. The Water-type was nearly as large as Izzy herself was but much broader. With a focused mind, the young nurse went to work. She checked his teeth and ears for how clean they were. She checked his water spouts to see if they could extend and withdraw properly. She even made the Blastoise trickle a tiny bit of water to listen for any clogs in his spouts.

"Perfectly fine. You've taken very good care of your Pokémon. Was this your starter? Blastoise seems very fond of you," Isabelle praised, which Blastoise confirmed with a long "blaaaaas".

"He was. We've been through a lot together. Now, I've adopted a Pokémon from a Pokémon Centre. Nurse Joy said she could not be returned to the wild because her group had abandoned her, so she had stuck around the centre. I came by and saw her training outside. Blastoise and I went to her and offered to spar with her since that would be much better training. Anyway, here she is. The newest member of my team," Gary said, opening his second Poké Ball.

A Charmeleon came out in a bright light, one that seemed familiar to Isabelle. It did look much better now but Izzy was rather sure she knew this Fire-type.

"Did you, by any chance, find this Charmeleon at Cinnabar Island?" Isabelle asked, just to be sure.

"Yes. Why?" Gary said.

"I believe that I know this one. I saved her life when I was there. Hey there, Charmeleon. Remember me?" Isabelle asked, lowering her head a bit to get closer to the Pokémon that came to about her waist.

Narrow green eyes looked at the nurse. The female Pokémon took a deep sniff and then launched herself at Isabelle, wrapping herself in a rather violent hug.

"It seems she does," Isabelle said breathlessly, stroking over Charmeleon's head. "I am so pleased to see you have survived. How are you feeling now? How's Mr Oak treating you?" Charmeleon answered in her own language, but her new-found joy in life was easy to recognise.

"Don't worry about a thing, Mr Oak. Your Charmeleon is perfectly okay." Isabelle told the brown-haired young man with a stunning smile.


	10. 010 Caterpie

**#010 Caterpie**

 _Caterpie, the Worm Pokémon. Caterpie will shed its skin many times before finally cocooning itself in thick silk. It can also spit this silk in order to entangle foes. Its primary diet is vegetation, and its voracious appetite causes it to eat leaves larger than itself. Its favourite food is the Vermilion flower. Caterpie lives in forests._

Walking through the main road of Viridian Forest, Nurse Isabelle did not keep her attention on the road. She was familiar with the peaceful forest and could walk this blindly if she had the desire to try. With her hands in the pockets of her white trousers, Isabelle looked up. The sun filtered just perfectly through the leaves of the trees, not too much to make its glare too bright, nor too little to make it too dark to see. Isabelle loved the forest in the daytime.

"Miss! Miss! I need your help! You're a nurse, right? Oh please, miss!" A panicky voice called out, disrupting the silence and chasing away several of the forest Pokémon. A kid came running with a gagging, green worm in his arms. She recognised the worm as a Caterpie, a Pokémon quite perfect for a beginning trainer. However, she had rarely seen a Caterpie breathe that weirdly. It seemed as if it was dry-heaving or had something hot in its mouth.

"What happened to the little guy?" Kneeling down, Isabelle took the Caterpie from the boy. As if it was in severe pain, it rolled its body up. Gently, with her fingers, she opened its mouth. It became clear the Bug-type had been eating something that caused this reaction because it had not swallowed what remained in its mouth. It must have started to get stomach cramps somewhere during the second or third bite of whatever was bothering him so.

"What was it eating?" Isabelle asked next. The boy gave Izzy a red, warty berry with some bites taken out of it. The soft flesh matched the red residue in Caterpie's mouth. Isabelle looked up at the young trainer, sternly.

"Kid, this is a Spelon berry. One of the spiciest berries in existence. Did you not know that Caterpie hate spicy food? They usually only eat sweet berries. How come you did not know this?" The kid had the decency to look ashamed, making Isabelle sigh.

"Give it a lot of water to rinse and then go look for a berry that says 'sweet' on its tag. Feed it tiny bits. A few Pokéblocks tonight, and a normal portion tomorrow morning. Your Caterpie should be fine then, but do take it to Nurse Joy to be sure. And make sure this never happens again, okay? You need to know the taste preference of your Pokémon, too, to be a good trainer. It's not just remembering their attacks." With that, she gave the Caterpie back to the kid.

"Nurse Joy, tomorrow morning. If the water and the sweet berry does not help, I want you to take your Caterpie in _today_. Am I clear?"

"Yes, ma'am," He replied dutifully. "Thank you. It will not happen again."


	11. 011 Metapod

**#011 Metapod**

 _Metapod, the cocoon Pokémon. The evolved form of Caterpie. Its soft body is protected by a hard outer shell while it undergoes metamorphosis. While this shell is said to be as hard as steel, a sudden, powerful impact could cause its tender body to pop out, leaving it completely exposed. Metapod generally remains motionless, preparing its soft innards for evolution inside its hard shell. If an enemy discovers Metapod, it is unable to do anything other than harden its outer shell. Metapod lives in forests._

On days like these, Nurse Isabelle wondered who was happier she had become a travelling nurse: Nurse Joy or herself. After a quiet first month, the requests had started to pour in of rumours of sick or injured Pokémon, all sent in by Nurse Joy. There were even requests of Pokémon that were just in the way, but those came from Officer Jenny. Isabelle sighed, smoothing her tied-down hair flat and pushing some stray locks away. It wasn't that she hated doing those requests; she loved the work. It was just that running errands felt silly.

Today's errands involved some Metapod. They had evolved just outside of Viridian Forest and now clung to trees near a frequently travelled road. Her job today was to move them to someplace safe nearby where they could evolve without danger.

The Metapod were easy to find. Their green colour contrasted nicely with the brown bark of the trees. Just east of Viridian forest laid a less frequented part of the road, since many travelled through the forest, instead of around it.

"All right, you guys. Come on out," Isabelle said, opening her two Pokéballs. Bulbasaur and Wartortle came out. Bulbasaur, as usual, was ecstatic to be out. He came close for a pet on his head and then ran on his stubby legs around them, for some happy exercise. Wartortle was much calmer. The female Water-type was, like Izzy, not fond of getting dirty and a bit vain, but she hadn't caused any trouble. While she wasn't tight buddies with the excitable Grass-type, she did not seem to hate him either. She just had a big ego.

"Okay. Today, we're moving these Metapod. They're in danger of getting trampled here." Isabelle explained where they would take them and emphasised that they must be handled carefully. She did not want any of them damaged, no matter the hardness of their shell.

They started with the low hanging ones because they could pluck them off themselves. The string of silk that kept them to the tree was easily cut. And so began a long day. All three of them plucked a Metapod and walked the way to the side road Isabelle had chosen for them, placing them a bit out of sight.

As they needed Bulbasaur's vines to pull down the higher ones, Isabelle reflected on how grateful she was neither of her Pokémon had become bored yet. That would have been a bad case scenario.

"You're doing great, you guys. I'm proud of you," Isabelle told them as they took an afternoon break, sitting on the grass near where they placed the Metapod. The Metapod took this mass moving silently, not even talking at all. It suited Izzy. This was much better than angry Metapod. As lunch, Isabelle gave her Pokémon a berry with the taste of their preference. They may be more expensive than normal Pokémon food, but her Pokémon deserved it.

Her Pokémon's personalities shone through in the way they ate. Like how Bulbasaur tackled life, he ate the berry with gusto, digging in as if it were the best thing he ever tasted or the last thing he would ever eat. Wartortle, on the other hand, sat up properly and took small bites of her berry, savouring every bite. Just as they were going back to work, Isabelle noticed that Bulbasaur's bulb has a blue-ish gleam. Curious.

The rest of the day went by faster. It seemed the Pokémon were quite tired of this dreary job and worked harder to get this done as quickly as possible. It only took two more hours for all Metapod to be brought to safety.

"Phew," Isabelle wiped her forehead. "Glad that's done. Let's go to Viridian Pokémon centre. You deserved a long sleep. Want to sleep in your ball or…" Surprised, Isabelle stopped talking as Bulbasaur lit up.

She did not need to guess what was happening. This light was one of the clearest tell-tale signs. Even Wartortle stood next to Izzy to watch. As they waited for Bulbasaur to be ready, the nurse laid a hand on Wartortle's head, smiling down at her affectionately.

It merely took a minute but it felt much longer. When the light had subsided, Bulbasaur was gone. Instead, a slightly bigger Grass-type stood on the exact spot where Bulbasaur had stood. Only his colouring was different and the bulb had budded into a gorgeous pink bud. He even smelled different. From an earthy scent that reminded her of some healing herbs, he now smelled distinctly more flowery.

Bulbasaur had evolved into Ivysaur.


	12. 012 Butterfree

**#012 Butterfree**

 _Butterfree, the Butterfly Pokémon. The final evolution of Caterpie and the evolved form of Metapod. Butterfree's wings are covered with poisonous powders that fall off continuously as it flies. This powder repels water, enabling it to gather honey even in the rain. Butterfree will roam up to six miles from its nest in search of honey, which it carries with the hairs of its legs. It also consumes sap from pierced trees. Butterfree is found in forests, but has also been observed flying near the ocean as part of its migratory breeding pattern._

Merely a week later, Nurse Isabelle was called to Viridian City again. The town, once so calm and peaceful with children playing with their Caterpie and their mothers watching over them as they chatted and gossiped, now laid barren. There was not a single person out on the street. All the doors were shut and the windows were closed as if they were scared of something. The hospital and Pokémon centre were busy, though.

Route two, leading to Viridian forest, did not look much better. Some purplish sheen hung low over the ground. Isabelle deduced that it was a residue of poisonous powder. One that probably caused the town to be a ghost town. Staring at this scene, Isabelle found Officer Jenny with a mouth cap.

"Let me guess. The Metapod evolved?" Isabelle asked, causing Officer Jenny to nod. "How many were taken ill by their toxic dust?"

"All the children and their Pokémon," came the muffled reply. Izzy wasn't surprised. Butterfree were gorgeous Pokémon, being basically huge butterflies. However, their wings scattered poisonous dust, making them a bit tricky to handle. It was their way of protecting themselves against other Pokémon.

"Shall we chase them off to Viridian Forest?" Isabelle suggested.

"We?" Jenny asked, looking around them. "I'm not going,"

"My Pokémon and I," Isabelle said, releasing her Ivysaur and her Wartortle. The nurse had already briefed them last night when they were near Viridian again. But just to be sure, Izzy had stocked up on antidotes.

Chasing away Butterfree was only slightly more entertaining than moving Metapod was. These butterflies were not challenging at all to the Pokémon of the young Nurse. With Wartortle's Water Gun and Ivysaur's Vine Whip, the nurse's Pokémon did not come near enough to get poisoned by the butterflies. However, with the whole lot of them, the air was poisoned as well. Not for the first time that day, Isabelle found herself wishing she had a flying type to get rid of this poisonous fog.

Getting rid of the Butterfree was the easy part. When they had finally left for Viridian Forest, bullied away by water and vines, Isabelle's Pokémon collapsed on the ground. Walking towards them, feeling quite dizzy herself, Izzy gathered the heavy Ivysaur in her arms and told Wartortle to hold onto her back, or to her braid if she must. Like that, they staggered away from Route 2 to the city in which the fog was thinning already. There, Isabelle administered the antidote to both her Pokémon and headed with them to the Pokémon centre.

At the Pokémon centre, it did not matter that Nurse Joy was busy with poisoned Caterpie. Isabelle could take care of her own Pokémon, and so she was given her own treating room for them. Laying them on oxygen, she could tell that her Pokémon would be fine once the antidote had cleared away all poison in their bodies. Izzy sighed as she felt how feverish she was herself. She didn't like the poisonous types. They were a lot of effort to treat with a lot of consequences for the one treating them.

Despite being sick, Isabelle watched over her Pokémon all night and only when she was sure they were healthy again did she call them back to their balls and headed up to go to bed herself. Pokémon would always come first for her.


	13. 013 Weedle

**#013 Weedle**

 _Weedle, the Hairy Bug Pokémon. Weedle can retaliate against attackers and those who step on it with its strong toxin. It can distinguish its favourite kinds of leaves using its acute sense of smell. As a young Bug Pokémon, its daily appetite for leaves matches its weight. Weedle can be found in forests and usually hides in grass, bushes, and under the leaves it eats._

Nurse Isabelle had some fond, and at the same time terrible, memories of Weedle. The first time Izzy worked with a Weedle was at Nursing School. Here, an elderly Joy taught other Joys and whoever wished to learn to be a nurse how to be one. The Joys are incredibly good at what they do. It felt like as if the Joys were born to become nurses. Isabelle sometimes thought it to be a bit sad.

At Nursing School, Isabelle had become good friends with a girl called Wendy Foxglove. Together with Wendy, they were the only non-Joys in her class of ten and so they stuck together. Wendy was a sweet girl with a submissive personality. Whenever something looked bad or someone was angry with her, she flinched and retreated in her mental shell to protect herself. And so, Isabelle protected her.

Something Wendy was good at was getting Pokémon to trust her. No matter what Pokémon they were dealing with, as soon as she touched them, they relaxed. Izzy had been quite jealous of that and tried her best develop such a gift herself. It had taken a long time for Izzy to see that forcing to become what she was not, only agitated the Pokémon she was treating. Only after she had learnt this and became confident in her own ability and skills of treating Pokémon, did she become truly good at it.

One of the first lessons on Bug Pokémon, they worked on a Weedle alone. Every girl had her own Weedle and it needed to be bandaged. Unlike Caterpie, Weedle did not lay still one moment. Within mere minutes, every girl was agitated with the wiggling worms. Some even had boils on their hands from being stung by either of their poisonous horns.

Isabelle was struggling too. Getting some bandage around a worm wasn't hard, but the tiny little feet shouldn't be covered or else the Weedle couldn't move anymore. So they had to be quite precise with it, too. Weedle, she suspected, was having too much fun. Whenever a bit was going well, it did a barrel roll to undo it all. But when Izzy placed one hand on its body to hold it down, its tail swung up to sting her harshly. The head did the same whenever she tried to hold down the tail. Holding her painful hand, Izzy realised she either needed to subdue this worm or needed someone to help her.

In the front of the class, the elderly Joy was having a great time. Seeing young nurses struggle and seeing them realise being a nurse isn't only cuddling with the cute Pokémon was amusing to her.

Eventually, with blisters and boils all over her hands, Isabelle finished last, not counting the Joy whose Weedle had slithered away and was nowhere to be found. Despite being last, she managed and, therefore, passed the class, making Isabelle feel proud.

Later that day, Wendy sat next to her as Izzy had her boils treated by the elderly Joy.

"Try being kind to them. You're really kind, Izz. Just be yourself to the Pokémon. They'll feel it," Wendy said in her usual soft voice.

If she could, Isabelle would run a hand through her hair but both were pinned down, under treatment.

"It's so hard. Why can't they see I am trying to help and just stay still?" Isabelle complained a little, grumpy from the searing pain in her hands.

"Because they're upset. You're upset now too and don't stay perfectly still either, even though you know I am trying to help. Try to imagine what they're feeling. Pokémon merely in pain are easy to treat. But they can be afraid, confused, angry, or sad. And that affects the way you must treat them. Keep that in mind, ladies." The elderly Joy spoke up.

This lesson rang through her head on the day she treated the confused Charizard, the one with the cut in its paw. Wherever the elderly Joy had gone after she passed away, Isabelle hoped that she watched over her and that she was proud of her student.


	14. 014 Kakuna

**#014 Kakuna**

 _Kakuna, the Cocoon Pokémon. The evolved form of Weedle. When it comes close to evolving, its body gives off heat that makes it warm to the touch. Kakuna remains virtually immobile and waits for evolution often hanging from tree branches by long strands of silk. When attacked, however, it can extend its poison barbs. Kakuna nests in forests and misty wooded areas. Occasionally, it will also nest at the mouths of tunnels and caves._

Even nurses took the day off, occasionally. When no emergency calls have been made and no wild Pokémon seem to be in trouble, Nurse Isabelle took the rare free time to relax. As was the custom, Ivysaur and Wartortle were released from their Pokéballs.

There was a tiny stream nearby. Not enough to bathe in, but Wartortle enjoyed herself none the less. The water seemed to be pure and so, sitting on a rock in the sunlight, the vain turtle began washing and grooming herself, taking extra good care of her gorgeous tail.

Ivysaur, on the other hand, stayed close to Isabelle. Sitting cross-legged with Ivysaur on her lap with his eyes closed in bliss, Izzy searched through her Pokédex for more information on Ivysaur. She had a vague memory that her Grass-type starter could learn something around this stage.

"Aha! Take Down!" Isabelle exclaimed triumphantly. Ivysaur merely opened one eye at the noise.

"Let's learn Take Down, Ivy. That should be useful to be able to take down a Pokémon after you put it to sleep. Some remain standing, you see? Come on, silly sleepy head! We'll nap later, okay?"

Reluctantly, Ivysaur stood up from her lap, allowing the young nurse to get up as well, but before doing so, Isabelle rubbed her Pokémon over the head, affectionately.

As Izzy and Ivysaur searched for a proper target to practice on, Wartortle merely glanced at them before continuing what she was doing. Isabelle didn't mind as long as her Water-type Pokémon did not run into trouble.

Just a bit further was a massive apple tree. The apples were big and red and looked juicy.

"Let's try to get those, shall we, Ivysaur? Take Down is basically a harder Tackle. You will receive recoil so let's not use it too often, okay? I don't want you to get hurt. Ready, Ivysaur? All right. Take Down on that apple tree!" Isabelle called out the last part, pointing at the tree she wished her Pokémon to attack.

Eagerly, Ivysaur dashed towards it, charging at full speed. As he bashed against the tree, Izzy was happy the Bulbasaur line had tough skulls, because it sounded a tad painful. They were rewarded with a load of apples that came crashing down, perfectly ripe and edible.

Proudly, Ivysaur took one of the apples in his maw and ran towards his trainer, fully expecting her to be happy with him for successfully getting them some apples. But instead of pride, horror was to be seen on Isabelle's face.

This horror was caused by what else was shaken loose by the tree. Several cocoons slid and fell down from the tree, laying on the ground among the apples. They were not green like the harmless Metapod. These were beige and, therefore, they were Kakuna. To make matters worse, one of the Kakuna began to light op, signalling an evolution.

"Nope. Nope. We're out of here," Isabelle decided. Without explaining herself, she recalled her Pokémon to their balls, grabbed her backpack and ran as fast as she could. Because the evolved form of Kakuna were known to attack humans and Pokémon with the slightest cause, and disturbing their tree was reason enough.

Isabelle did not look over her shoulder to see if she was being followed. She ran to Viridian City as fast as she could, not resting until she was in the Pokémon centre. Panting, she stopped there against the counter. One did not even have time to get fat and lazy around here, living among Pokémon.


	15. 015 Beedrill

**#015 Beedrill**

 _Beedrill, the Poison Bee Pokémon. The final evolution of Weedle and the evolved form of Kakuna. Beedrill is highly territorial and normally lives in colonies. Beedrill seems to be especially concerned with the welfare of Weedle and Kakuna, and it will respond aggressively to those that disturb them. Disturbing a swarm of Beedrill will cause the whole colony to attack. It flies at high speed and attacks using the large venomous stingers on its forelegs and abdomen. The two stingers on its forelimbs allow it to use its former signature move, Twineedle. It will take the victims of its attacks back to its nest for food. Beedrill nests in forests and misty wooded areas._

Clutching a cup of tea, Isabelle watched the sunrise after an intense day and night. The tea in her mug had gone cold, but the nurse did not notice. Ivysaur laid on her lap, making soft sounds to coax his trainer into touching him. He seemed worried for the golden blonde and would stay with Izzy until she felt better. Putting her cold tea aside, Isabelle wrapped her arms around the Grass-type and held him as she relived the previous day.

Nurse Isabelle's journeys had brought her all over Kanto. A day that Izzy remembered clearly was in Kanto's northernmost city, Pewter City. The city of the Rock-type Pokémon and people. Everyone who lived there was as hard as their Pokémon. Honest and hardworking. Isabelle was fond of these people.

Having arrived there late at night the previous day, Isabelle only had some time to look around town when the sun rose again. However, as she descended the stairs from the guest area, an air of panic could be felt in Pewter City Pokémon Centre. Jogging towards the emergency room, she found Nurse Joy standing over a peculiar shape.

"Joy, what's going on?" Isabelle asked as she entered the emergency room. The advantage of being a nurse was that she could simply barge in and offer her assistance.

"A Beedrill. He has been Frozen!" Joy told her, perplexed. And indeed, in the ice block on the treatment table, the Poison Bee Pokémon could be seen.

"How is that possible? Ice-type Pokémon are incredibly rare in Kanto," Isabelle said, causing Nurse Joy to shake her head.

"We can only guess. Right now, we need to thaw this Bug-type. The problem is, because Ice-types are so rare, we do not have any Ice Heals since we have never needed them. Of course, I have sent for them to be collected but that might take days before it arrives her. I need your help. We need to try to thaw it manually. It's Beedrill's only chance."

Like that, with the heater up high, the two nurses worked hard to thaw the ice around the Bug-type Pokémon. Isabelle did not own any Fire-types and Joy didn't even have any Pokémon.

However, without Ice Heal or any berries that would give the same effect, it was looking dire for Beedrill. Till long past the sun had set again, the ladies worked on thawing out the yellow and black coloured Pokémon, only taking a tiny break to eat something, brought by an apprentice at the centre that Isabelle did not know.

Past midnight, Beedrill's temperature was reasonably normal but still, the Bug did not move. Daring to get close to the territorial Pokémon, Isabelle listened for a heartbeat, fearing the worst. And indeed, there was no heartbeat, just as Izzy feared.

With shaking hands, Nurse Isabelle woke Joy, who had slumped in the corner of the emergency room.

"Joy, Beedrill is dead. His heart has stopped." Her voice did not shake as she said it, seemingly calm. On the inside, she cried for the poor Bug Pokémon.


	16. 016 Pidgey

**#016 Pidgey**

 _Pidgey, the Tiny Bird Pokémon. Pidgey has an extremely sharp sense of direction and homing instincts. It can locate its nest even when far removed from familiar surroundings. It is a docile Pokémon, and generally prefers to flee from its enemies rather than fight them. By flapping its wings rapidly, it can whip up dust clouds and create whirlwinds to protect itself and flush out potential prey. Pidgey is very common throughout its range and can often be seen in meadows and forests._

Sometimes, Nurse Isabelle did not find the Pokémon in need. Sometimes, they found her.

Coming from Cerulean City, Isabelle found herself on Route 24, walking a gorgeous wooden bridge over a river. This path would lead to the sea, where she would visit Bill the Pokémon researcher. He was always interested in what she did and what she encountered on her journey.

Her thoughts of what she would tell Bill about Ivysaur's evolution were interrupted by something falling down and landing heavily on the wooden bridge with a painful sounding 'thump'.

Jogging towards the fallen object, Isabelle could see it was a bird. An unconscious one. Cradling it carefully in her hands, she saw the Pidgey's wing was broken, possibly from the fall but not excluding an attack. However, as Isabelle looked up, all she could see was the calm sky after the storm from last night.

"Pooh," it softly cooed, opening its eyes briefly before shutting them again. It was obviously exhausted. What was most striking about the bird was the little cap on its head and the cylinder on its back. This was obviously a mail-Pidgey.

As Isabelle carried it back to Cerulean City to take it to the Pokémon centre, she reflected on how she loved these birds. Being docile, they were popular with young kids but anyone could raise them.

At Cerulean City Pokémon Centre, an adult man was at the desk, inquiring about something. He seemed quite agitated from the volume of his voice.

"Have you seen my Ace? Have you seen him?!" Without much success, Nurse Joy tried to calm him down. He could, however, not be soothed. Behind him, Isabelle held up the injured bird to show Nurse Joy and she nodded, moving to ask for a treatment room through the computer. However, the man saw the nod and turned around.

"That's my Ace! What have you done to him, you terrible woman?" He made a grab for the injured bird. Furious, Isabelle pulled the bird out of his reach, cradling it against her chest

"Woah! Calm down, you! I found the Pidgey when it fell from the air. I didn't do anything to it so calm down! Joy, the stretcher? Ah, there it is. Thank you," she said, laying the bird on the stretcher and watching it being rushed away. Then she turned to the man who was fuming that his Pidgey was carried away, though he seemed to realise it was safe in the Pokémon Centre.

"How dare you talk to me like that?" Isabelle demanded to know, placing her hands on her hips. "How dare you jump to conclusions without even pausing to ask what's going on? First, you are rude to my colleague, and then to me? Go home and return when you're calm, or send someone else who can identify ownership over this mail-Pidgey. Pidgey won't be going home anytime today, so return tomorrow morning at the earliest."

To her surprise, he nodded, turned around, and left. Joy behind the counter sighed in relief. Isabelle had to smile at her.

"Sometimes, you have to be firm with them."

The following morning, the man returned and calmly asked to see his Pidgey called Ace. He did not mention the previous day and that was fine with Joy. Showing the contract of the Mail Carrier Service, Ace was identified and returned with the man with his wing bandaged yet awake and looking much better than he did before.


	17. 017 Pidgeotto

**#017 Pidgeotto**

 _Pidgeotto, the Bird Pokémon. The evolved form of Pidgey. Pidgeotto is a powerful flier capable of carrying prey several miles to its nest. It has amazing vision, which helps it locate preferred prey Pokémon. It has been seen preying on Caterpie. Pidgeotto claims a sprawling territory of more than 60 miles, which it defends fiercely. Its nest is usually in the centre of its territory and it circles its territory throughout the day, looking out for food and intruders. It is most often found in forests._

After a satisfying training session between Ivysaur and Wartortle with only Normal-type moves such as Tackle, Nurse Isabelle rewarded her Pokémon by brushing them by hand. Ivysaur was easily pleased and soon took off to nap in the sun, but Isabelle was quite busy by brushing Wartortle's tail just right. Izzy didn't mind. If her Water-type wished to be concerned about her hygiene, then that's okay with her.

Her backpack stood against a tree in which a lot of medicine and healing berries were stored, along with personal items such as ribbons to tie her braid with.

On the exact moment Izzy finished brushing Wartortle's tail, something swooped by and snatched her bag from underneath the tree, flying off with the rather heavy backpack.

"Hey!" Isabelle called out, indignant, which woke up Ivysaur from his sun soaked nap. Izzy leaped up, together with Wartortle. "There goes our food! Get that bird!"

Ivysaur, bless him, immediately jumped up and started chasing the strong Flying-type Pokémon. Even Wartortle ran after them, not wishing to be left behind, probably. Like that, the three of them dashed after the bird that was stealing the backpack.

"Wartortle, Water Gun. Ivysaur, Razor Leaf!" Isabelle commanded. Her Pokémon may not be in their top shape as fighting Pokémon but weighed down by the bag, the bird should make an easy target if it didn't get too far away.

Eventually, it was Wartortle who managed to bring it down with a well-aimed Bubble. The bird crashed down, dropping her bag, and turned around, ready to fight. Upon closer inspection, Isabelle saw it was a Pidgeotto. This was surprising because Pidgeotto usually weren't strong enough to carry such a bag, but this one apparently was.

"Wartortle, Bite! Ivysaur, stand by to get my bag back with your vines." Isabelle ordered. The Bite went great but Pidgeotto retaliated with a Peck, which hurt Wartortle. While those two fought, Ivysaur reeled her bag in, getting what they came from. Now, the Pidgeotto must be defeated because it was clear he would not give up.

"Wartortle, Rapid Spin!" That made a nice hit. Bashing into the bird at full speed while rotating withdraw in her shield, her Water-type managed to slam the bird against a nearby tree.

Wasting no time, Isabelle chucked a Pokéball that way to catch such an extraordinary Pidgeotto. And indeed, after a few tense wiggles, the ball pinged and Pidgeotto was caught.

"All right! Good job, Ivysaur, but especially well done, Wartortle. You did great!" Isabelle cheered.

After patching up Wartortle, Isabelle let out Pidgeotto from his ball to introduce herself and have him meet the team.

"All right, Pidgeotto. Firstly, no more stealing. Understood?" The bird cooed at her, seriously. "I am Isabelle. I am a travelling Pokémon Nurse. These are Ivysaur and Wartortle. We're a team from now on and I expect you to get along. Your duties as a member of this team involve listening to me whenever I command you to do something and occasionally parcel service. Only when we work as a team can we help Pokémon in need. Okay?" Ivysaur, Wartortle, and Pidgeotto nodded. "All right! Welcome to the team, Pidgeotto."


	18. 018 Pidgeot

**#018 Pidgeot**

 _Pidgeot, the Bird Pokémon. The final evolution of Pidgey and the evolved form of Pidgeotto. Its powerful wings are capable of stirring up windstorms in just a few flaps, and it may spread its wings to intimidate enemies. This Pokémon is capable of flying faster than the speed of sound. Its plumage is often described as beautiful, making it a popular choice for skilled Trainers. Pidgeot typically dwells in forests with thick growth and large trees. It is known to prey on fish, which it can spot from great heights._

Because of the forceful manner Pidgeotto was captured with, Nurse Isabelle announced a training afternoon. So as Ivysaur napped again (he could be so lazy), and Wartortle refused to come out of her ball today, Isabelle was trying to bond with the courageous bird, seeing what he could do. After testing his speed and attack power, Isabelle decided that he was skilled enough to learn Aerial Ace.

Finding thick branches, Isabelle swung them up for Pidgeotto to cut through with Aerial Ace. They worked together like that, until, in the early part of the afternoon, a shadow passed over the two of them. Since the sky was clear, Isabelle looked up to see what might have caused this shadow. A massive bird flew over them and landed not far away, revealing it had a rider. The man dismounted the bird and together, they approached Isabelle, Pidgeotto, and the dozing Ivysaur.

The bird the man rode was a Pidgeot, the evolved form of Pidgeotto. It was absolutely gorgeous with its colourful feathers. And the man looked not bad either. He was taller than Isabelle and had a slender frame. He seemed in great control of his body since he did not move clumsily at all. He wore a simple white shirt and black trousers. Nothing too fancy but convenient for travelling.

"Hello there! I couldn't help seeing you and your Pidgeotto," he started with a brilliant smile. "Do you mind if we join you?" His smile worked contagiously and Isabelle found herself inviting him over and introducing him to Pidgeotto and Ivysaur, who was still sleeping. One would expect Isabelle worked him too hard from the amount of naps he took.

"Nice to meet you, the three of you. I'm Dominic Whitewater and this is a Pidgeot I rented to get from Celadon City to Cinnabar Island."

As Dominic and Isabelle sat down next to the sleeping Ivysaur, with Izzy petting the Grass-type, Isabelle talked about her job as a travelling nurse. Dominic seemed enthusiastic about it, so Izzy told him about Charmeleon and where she is now. The smile on his face warmed her heart.

"That's amazing, for her to find someone to take care of her like that. I currently have no Pokémon on me. Mine is still at home, because a thunderstorm would pass over there in my absence and she wishes to be there when it happens. She loves thunder." That made Isabelle smile at him.

Pidgeotto and Pidgeot were playing in a peculiar manner. It seemed they were trying to outdo each other, which was a tad unfair since Pidgeotto wasn't fully evolved yet. But despite this, Pidgeotto seemed to be able to keep up pretty well to Pidgeot, only losing on the speed department. He will be an amazing Pidgeot when it is his time to evolve.

Next to her, Dominic looked at his watch and saw the time. He kissed her hand and rose from the grass. "I am terribly sorry, Miss Nurse, but I must go to be in Cinnabar before the sun sets. I hope to see you again." He took a quick bow, headed over to Pidgeot and took off.

Staring after him, Isabelle stood facing the direction he went long after he was gone. Ivysaur found her like that, causing him to be confused to what he missed.


	19. 019 Rattata

**#019 Rattata**

 _Rattata, the Mouse Pokémon._ _Rattata can live wherever it can find food, which it searches for most of the day. Thanks to its sharp fangs, it is able to eat nearly anything. Its hardiness lets it live in many environments, although it mainly lives on plains and savannas. Because it reproduces so quickly, a pair of Rattata can quickly colonize an area. When it is threatened, Rattata can deliver a powerful bite._

"Isabelle! Psssst! Isabelle!" A whispered voice woke the aspiring nurse up. She was disorientated for a moment, having dreamt she flew a Charizard in a journey around the world. When she opened her eyes, she was still in her bed in her dorm room of the Nursing School. Her friend and classmate, Wendy Foxglove, knelt in front of her bed. "Oh good, you're awake."

"Hm? What time is it?" Isabelle mumbled sleepily, rubbing her emerald eyes. Her golden hair was loose, not braided at night, and the waist-long curls laid on her pillow, shimmering a little in the moonlight.

"Long past midnight, but Isa, I need your help." Only Wendy called her Isa. To everyone else, she was Miss Evergreen, Isabelle, or Izzy. Slowly, Isabelle got up from bed, not entirely awake yet.

"I did a thing…" Wendy began, causing Izzy to narrow her eyes.

"What did you do, Wendy?" Isabelle sat up to prevent falling asleep again.

"I … ehm … I took in a nest of mice," she stammered, fiddling with the front of her sleeping shirt, looking down at her feet.

"Mice? What kind?" Isabelle asked urgently, in a whisper. "Where?"

"Rattata. In our room," was the reply.

"In our …? Oh goodness, Wendy…" Isabelle ran a hand through her hair.

"They were scared and hungry! They were so young; one was still in an egg. I could not leave them. Their mother was nowhere to be found, not a single trace. And believe me, I looked!" Large brown eyes filled with tears.

"Okay, okay. Don't cry, Wendy. But they have to go. You need to return them to the wild before they're too old and before Nurse Joy finds out." To Isabelle's surprise, Wendy nodded.

"Let's do it right now!" She hissed, surprising Izzy again. The shy girl never was this bold or forward.

"Now? Right now? Goodness, that's why you woke me, isn't it?" She sighed and looked around for her shoes and her coat. Wendy was already dressed and stood ready with a large basket from which some muffled squeaking came.

Barely dressed, the two girls sneaked out of the dorm room and made their way outside. Despite there being a curfew, no one was in the hallways to check on them. The Pokémon guarding them were fond of Wendy and did not stop her.

At a patch of tall grass outside of the School's gardens, Wendy knelt down and took one of the Rattata out of the basket with trembling hands. The girl had yet again tears in her eyes, Izzy saw as she looked at her.

"Come on, do it. We don't have all night. They might remember you and come back to play." That was encouragement enough for the sensitive girl. One by one, Wendy pulled them out of the basket and put them down near the tall grass. Following their instincts, the Rattata dashed away right when their paws touched the ground. In less than a couple minutes, all three of them were gone.

"Well done, Wendy," Isabelle merely said, wrapping her arms around the shivering girl. "They're able to defend themselves. They'll be fine. You saved them from starvation when they were younger, but it's time for them to go now."


	20. 020 Raticate

**#020 Raticate**

 _Raticate, the Mouse Pokémon. The evolved form of Rattata. If attacked, Raticate stands up on its hind legs, bares its fangs and shrieks in an intimidating manner at its enemy. It is willing to take on larger foes if provoked enough. It often needs to gnaw on something, like rocks and logs, but it may even chew on the wall of houses and is capable of chewing cinder walls and topple concrete buildings. This Pokémon typically lives in plains and savannas._

There was a rat where it should not be. That was Nurse Isabelle's first reaction when she heard about the problem at hand. A Raticate had crossed the water in his search for something to chew on, probably, and ended up in the Power Plant. From the owners of the Power Plant, she heard some news about agitated Pokémon in the Power Plant. They used Pokémon to run this place and the Raticate was causing a disturbance.

Arriving at the highly electric venue, Isabelle easily found where the Raticate let himself in; there was a hole in the wall with teeth marks everywhere. Sighing, Isabelle opened the front door of the Power Plant with the key card she borrowed.

For some reason, the Power Plant always gave her the creeps. The building had been abandoned many years ago and many electric Pokémon were now living here. Since Isabelle did not have any Pokémon resistant to electric attacks, she hoped she would not encounter any. All the old equipment still stood here, gathering cobwebs and dust, looming eerily over her.

Walking as silently as she could, she followed the path of destruction left by the Raticate. Chewed on beams, scratched metal. It apparently tried to bite everything.

At the other end of the massive hall, she found the Mouse Pokémon. It laid on the ground, twitching as if electrocuted. Finding a chewed on cable nearby that sparked ominously, Isabelle decided that electrocution was exactly what had happened. What was also noticeable was the state of his teeth. They were longer than it should be, which might be an indication why it was so frantic to find something to chew on.

"Come on, you little troublemaker. Let's get you out of here." Wrapping her arms around the paralysed rat, she heaved it up from the ground. It was a tad heavy but nothing she couldn't handle. Her backpack had been this weight on more days than she liked to admit.

Pidgeotto was waiting outside with a makeshift stretcher to carry the Raticate to the nearest Pokémon centre. However, just as Isabelle exited the Power Plant through the front door, the Raticate seemed to be revived again and bit down hard on her arm. Crying out, she dropped the rat on the ground, clutching her sore arm.

"Oh, you …" She bit back a curse as the Mouse Pokémon dashed away, out of sight, away from the Power Plant. Apparently, it wasn't too defeated, after all.

Stroking the red spot that most definitely would bruise hard, Isabelle walked back to the worried Pidgeotto.

"It apparently doesn't want to be treated. His loss. Let's go, Pidgeotto," She stroked his head, undid the stretcher and let her bird fly with her as she left the site of the Power Plant, after looking behind her once more and muttering an insult to the Biting rat.


	21. 021 Spearow

**#021 Spearow**

 _Spearow, the Tiny Bird Pokémon. Although inept at other aspects of its flying, such as height and distance, Spearow is still capable of flying quickly to protect its territory. However, it must flap its wings at high speeds to stay aloft. Spearow's loud shrieks can be heard over half a mile away, and are used to warn other of its kind of danger. Spearow sees in black and white and will chase its foes in a large flock. Spearow is usually found in desolate wastelands and fields, where it hunts for insects._

While travelling, it is important to take good care of yourself. So whenever she had the chance, Nurse Isabelle would have a proper lunch and a good rest before she would continue her day. Occasionally, she found a picnic area, with trash bins, a lot of tables to sit on, an outhouse, and a tap for fresh water. As Isabelle arrived at such stop, she saw a couple with young children sitting at one of the picnic tables.

"Hey there. Do you mind if I let my Pokémon out?" Isabelle asked, just to be sure. The parents said they did not mind at all, but only if the Nurse didn't mind her Pokémon being petted. Since that was okay with Izzy, she released Ivysaur, Wartortle, and Pidgeotto.

As she prepared three bowls of food for her Pokémon, the young children approached them. Ivysaur sat up straight, trying to look his best and cutest. The youngest of the two girls fell for his charms and was petting his green head. The boy, however, was totally impressed by Pidgeotto and his coolness. He would squeal and applaud whenever the Bird Pokémon did a flying trick. The most surprising attention spent was by the eldest girl, and eldest child of the three, to Wartortle. Whispering in awe how pretty she was, the girl came closer. Wartortle seemed pleased in her vain way that someone finally appreciated her beauty and let herself be admired and petted. Her tail was especially a huge success since Wartortle had taken excellent care of it. It was silky soft and shone like silver.

Smiling, Isabelle turned her attention back to the food, deciding that neither her Pokémon nor the children would be harmed.

Screaming, however, made Izzy turn around. It was the mother who screamed and the father swiftly gathered his children. Within a minute, the family left running. Pidgeotto looked confused, Wartortle was insulted, and Ivysaur looked especially heart-broken.

Trying to find out what the cause was of the blind panic, Isabelle approached with the bowls of food. There, she saw it. On the table the family had been sitting near, a flock of birds descended. Four Pidgey and a Spearow.

Spearow were normally ill-mannered birds. To see one with a flock of Pidgey was surprising, to say the least. The Pidgey, however, seemed to fully accept the Spearow as one of them. They stood together and chattered as if they could understand each other.

Pidgeotto, being his courageous, bold self, approached the Pidgey and Spearow. They spoke for a moment before Pidgeotto nodded his head towards the Spearow. Apparently, it was good. He was one of them, however strange it may sound.

Then the Spearow flew off, allowing Isabelle and her Pokémon to eat lunch. When everyone was nearly done eating, Isabelle started to pack her backpack again. Some berry bushes were nearby and so Izzy wanted to count how much of everything she had. She definitely needed berries that could cure poison. Pecha berries, for example. Those soft, sweet, pink berries. Berries like … exactly that one. A berry had appeared in front of Izzy's backpack. A Pecha berry, conveniently. Looking up, the Spearow was there.

"Did you bring me this? Thank you! Are there more?" Isabelle asked kindly, causing Spearow to fly off right away. While Spearow was gone, she opened her berry case to store the Pecha berry away. One more case of poison she could cure. Besides, many Pokémon seemed to love these.

Spearow, and even the Pidgey, came back with more berries. Spearow carried another Pecha while the Pidgey had Cheri berries which cured paralysis. Useful when working with electric types.

"Come on, you guys," Isabelle called out to her Pokémon. "Let's follow them. I need these berries." Izzy rubbed the Spearow over its rough, brown plumage. "Thank you, Spearow. You're a star. Keep up the good work." In a tender moment, the Spearow rubbed its head against her hand. She could see this Spearow being either an amazing Pokémon for someone one day, someone who'd just stand still and look at the actual Pokémon instead of generalising it, or being here, leading the Pidgey since Spearow fully evolves sooner than Pidgey do.


	22. 022 Fearow

**#022 Fearow**

 _Fearow, the Beak Pokémon. The evolved form of Spearow._ _Fearow's large wings and stamina allow it to fly for an entire day without landing. It will shoot upward, and then dive down to catch prey. Its long neck and beak allow it to pluck prey from both land and water, and it will even catch tiny insects that hide underground. Fearow is found in wastelands and desolate fields._

Today was a bit windier than normal. Autumn had come. Nurse Isabelle had tied her hair tightly into her accustomed braid to prevent it from going everywhere. Her sneakers made crunching sounds over the fallen leaves and snapped branches. Despite the weather, Isabelle enjoyed herself. The sound of the wind rustling the branches and remaining leaves was one of her favourite sounds of nature.

This sound was interrupted by two others. The first was the frightened squealing of a Caterpie, accompanied by the angry roaring of a bird. A Fearow, Isabelle guessed from its cry. And indeed, when she came closer, the massive bird was pecking away at a tree from which the shrieking of the Worm Pokémon could be heard.

No matter how much it pained her, this was nature. Birds eat bugs, after all. However, something unexpected happened. With a gigantic swing, Fearow dug his beak deeply into the hollow tree in which Caterpie was hiding, resulting in him getting stuck. Taking his chance, Caterpie snuck out of the hole, made a show of climbing over Fearow's body, got blown off, rolled a bit, rightened himself, and slithered off. Furiously, Fearow flapped his mighty wings, causing tiny gales to whip up the leaves from the ground.

Isabelle ran to the agitated bird, eager to help. With ease, the bird made a mess of her hair as she tried to avoid those powerful wings.

"Calm down! Calm down! I'll get you out of there. Don't make me call Ivysaur to use Sleep Powder on you," she warned. That seemed to calm the bird down a little. He still made angry sounds, muffled by his closed beak, but did not flap his wings as much. His body was tense in anger, though.

Wrapping her arms around his feathered body, Izzy helped tug him free, careful to support his neck. Such a long, thin neck couldn't be strong. After a few mighty tugs, he finally shot free of the hollow tree. As Izzy fell on her bottom on the ground, the Fearow spread his wings and soared off.

"Well, you're welcome," Isabelle huffed, brushing the stray strands of hair out of her face, before getting up and continuing on her way again.


	23. 023 Ekans

**#023 Ekans**

 _Ekans, the Snake Pokémon. Ekans moves stealthily through grass and preys on Eggs from Pidgey and Spearow nests, but can strike other prey from behind. It grows longer with age and wraps itself around tree branches at night to rest. If not in a tree, it will coil itself up—a position in which it can defend itself from all directions. Its jaw can detach to swallow large prey, but such a meal can make Ekans too heavy to move. A new-born Ekans's bite is painful, but not venomous. It flicks its tongue out to detect danger and the scent of prey. It was also observed to possess some swimming abilities. Ekans lives in grassy savannas and plains._

The first encounter with a fairly uncommon type was usually memorable for a child. Young Izzy clearly remembered the wonder she felt upon seeing the Pidgey fly near the fountain on the main square.

Isabelle Evergreen grew up in Celadon City. This massive town had many facilities, including a Grass-type gym. As the daughter of a Pokémon nurse, the 10-year-old often went with her mother to check on the Pokémon used in there. She had a friend there, too. Young Erika, whose mother was the Gym leader. Together, they petted the Bulbasaur and the other Pokémon that walked around in the fragrant gardens of the Celadon gym.

On one afternoon, Izzy sat in the outskirts of town on a bench near the road, watching the tall grass sway in the wind. Trainers came and went, to challenge Erika's mommy. Excitedly, the girl with the golden, braided pigtails would ask the trainers to show her their Pokémon. Once in a while, one would comply. Izzy made quite an adorable sight with her blushing cheeks, emerald eyes, Butterfree t-shirt, and Bulbasaur bulb backpack.

Rustling brought Izzy back to the present. She had been thinking about the Electric-type the previous trainer had. She had never seen anything like it. It had been taller than her, too. The grass rustled again, signalling a Pokémon nearby. Izzy did not have any Pokémon with her. Sometimes, she brought one for safety, borrowed from the Pokémon centre to give it some exercise and to protect herself, but Izzy had not done so today.

The grass parted and a snake slithered out. Brilliantly purple and longer than she was tall, the serpent was not a pleasant sight for an unarmed girl.

"Ekanssss," it hissed as it slithered along. Izzy kept quiet, not wanting to draw its attention or chase it off. Just as it was passing by, it stopped right in front of her bench, so close that if little Izzy would stretch out her foot, it would touch the snake. She wondered if it felt hot or cold to the touch.

The snake rose up and turned around, facing the girl that was beginning to get quite scared. The way the snake looked at her didn't sit well with her.

"Ekanssss," it said again, flickering its tongue to taste the air, which Izzy found unsettling. Izzy held as still as she could. Her breath came out in tiny gasps and her knuckles were white from gripping the bench so tightly.

Without any obvious provocation, the Ekans lunged at her. It bit down on her shoulder and wrapped itself around her body. The place where it bit began to burn immensely right away. Without even thinking about it, the young girl screamed in pain and terror, unable to move as the surprisingly strong snake wrapped its long body around hers to keep her still. Over and over, she screamed until the burning in her shoulder became too much and everything went black.

In the hospital, her mother told her she had been found by a trainer who had rescued her, but he had nearly been too late. She had been badly poisoned and would need to stay in the hospital for quite a while.

The poison was cured, the wound healed, and even the scar was barely noticeable on her left shoulder. The fear for Poison-types never left her though and continued to plague her for the rest of her life.


	24. 024 Arbok

**#024 Arbok**

 _Arbok, the Cobra Pokémon. The evolved form of Ekans._ _Arbok is capable of crushing opponents by coiling its body around them and squeeze them tightly. It can even flatten steel oil drums. If it encounters an enemy, it raises its head, mimics the opponent with the frightening pattern on its body and making eerie sounds by expelling air from its mouth. It has been stated that if any part of Arbok's body except for the head is cut off, it can regrow the rest of its body again in a matter of a few weeks. It also has the ability to detect vibrations. Arbok has been known to be capable of spending long periods underwater and surviving in aquatic environments._

 _Arbok is territorial. It lashes out at intruders with long fangs tipped with deadly venom. With a vengeful nature, it will not give up a chase once it targets its prey or an opponent, no matter how far. It makes its home in grassy savannas and plains. In the wild, it hunts smaller Pokémon, using the pattern on its hood to immobilize prey and using its toxic bite to finish them off and eat them._

The memory of that unfortunate first encounter with an Ekans came to haunt her whenever she dealt with a Poison-type. But, as many Nurses agreed, a Nurse's opinion of Pokémon could never prevent her from doing her duty. Whenever a Pokémon needed help, it must be given at all times.

Nurse Isabelle's faithfulness to this rule was tested when a trainer stopped her on the road. His Pokémon was injured and because there was no Pokémon centre around, he asked the Nurse that was travelling by herself. Her outfit gave her away as a Nurse, since we wore the trademark colour shirt and white pants, along with some comfy sneakers that looked to be fitting to the colour scheme.

"An injured Pokémon? Sure, I'll check it out. Just a cut, you said, on her tail?" Isabelle knelt down as she withdrew her pack from her back, to get some disinfectant and bandages.

"Yeah. Nothing much, but it's hurting her. Arbok, come on out!" Isabelle froze when the trainer called the massive Cobra Pokémon to come out. Of all Pokémon, it has to be a snake.

Arbok were huge. They were 3,5 meter long, making them over twice as long as she was high. Raising up her head, Isabelle looked anxiously at the snake, looming in front of her. She took a shaky breath.

"I need you to do something for me," she told the trainer. "Can you make sure your Arbok does not move? I'd prefer it if she faced away from me. I've had some bad experiences with snakes randomly attacking me," she trailed off. Even the memory made her shoulder ache.

"One bit you? Oh damn, I'm so sorry. I can promise you that my Arbok is exceptionally well raised. She won't harm you, I promise!" He sounded so concerned. "Arbok, can you do that for the kind Nurse? Look away and keep still. She can make the pain in your tail go away," he told his female snake, who obeyed him without question.

Sighing, Izzy cleaned her hands and knelt down near the tail, seeing the deep, red cut on the purple flesh. It was quite striking. For now, she merely inspected the wound, looking at it from all angles. It was slightly raised and a bit inflamed, but not infected. The fact Arbok was a Poison type surely helped with that.

"I'm going to clean the cut now. It may sting a little, but it'll prevent an infection, which can be avoided easily with some care. Please make sure Arbok doesn't move. Her tail is strong enough to knock me over and send me flying." The trainer repeated Izzy's command to the snake. It helped Izzy to talk to the trainer instead of the snake.

Spraying some Potion on the wound, Isabelle saw the redness already lessen a little. Then she asked to have the snake lift up this part of her tail just a little so the bandage can be wrapped around it.

Touching the Cobra Pokémon as little as possible, Isabelle expertly wrapped the wound with the bandage. This was easy. She practiced this: bandaging in the least painful way possible. There was a technique to prevent it sliding loose and in a manner worthy of a Nurse, she knew this. Her hands shook a little with her racing heart, but she still managed to bandage Arbok properly. Not her neatest job ever, but this would hold to let the snake heal.

When it was done, she let out a deep sigh, standing up and stepping back. She wiped her forehead, which felt clammy, and packed her bag again as the trainer received confirmation from Arbok the pain was less and the bandage was tight. By the time Izzy was ready to look at the trainer again, the snake was gone.

"There. All done. I'd prefer it if you didn't fight with her until she doesn't feel pain anymore. A confirmation from another Nurse that the cut is healed is most preferable, but you may not encounter any before it's healed. If the bandage does fall off before the wound is healed, head over to the Pokémon centre right away. Do not keep travelling without it. Pokémon welfare before badges, always. Okay?" The trainer said he understood her, thanked her greatly, and even gave her an antidote, as a wry and tiny bit inappropriate gift of thanks.

As she watched the trainer go on his way again, Isabelle congratulated herself for a job well done. This was what a Nurse was about.


	25. 025 Pikachu

**#025 Pikachu**

 _Pikachu, the Mouse Pokémon. Pikachu sometimes travel in groups. It raises its tail to check its surroundings, and is occasionally struck by lightning in this position. Living in forested areas, Pikachu is found foraging for berries it roasts with electricity to make them tender enough to eat. It has been observed eating and sometimes destroying telephone poles, wires, and other electronic equipment._

 _Pikachu is able to release electric discharges of varying intensity. Pikachu has been known to build up energy in its glands, and will need to discharge to avoid complications. It is also able to release energy through its tail, which acts as a grounding rod, as well as recharging fellow Pikachu with electric shocks. Pikachu can also electrify itself to use its signature move, Volt Tackle. When threatened, it looses electric charges from its sacs, and a group can build and cause lightning storms. It is found mostly in forests, where a sure sign that Pikachu inhabits a location is patches of burnt grass._

It always saddened Nurse Isabelle when people look down on Pokémon. Every case like that was one too many. Regretfully, a discarded Pokémon case found her in Vermillion city.

Isabelle was actually in Vermillion City to check on the Pokémon aboard the S.S. Anne. Being confined on a cruise ship didn't do much good to some Pokémon. However, in the Pokémon centre, a sailor approached her. He was the jolly kind of sailor. He was a bit chubby, but his face was made for laughing. His eyes were serious, though, when he approached her.

"Hello, miss Nurse. Do you do house calls?" He asked her solemnly. Isabelle nodded, a bit too surprised by the question inside a Pokémon centre to answer. "Good. Could you come over to the Vermillion Gym? I'll meet you there." After saying that, the sailor nodded his head and waddled off.

Curiosity got the better of her, so Isabelle found herself in front of the tackily decorated Gym. Massive thunderbolts were attached to the building, to make clear it was an Electric Type Gym. To be honest, it looked like a child designed the building, Isabelle thought.

In front of this building, the sailor stood, cradling something in a blanket against his body with his short arms. When Isabelle approached him, he nudged with his head to follow him elsewhere. They did not travel far, to a small house near the Gym.

Once he was sure the door was closed, he laid the bundle down on the table. The care he took not to shake it too much and to lay it down softly suggested something of value, or something living. This behaviour was suspicious to Isabelle. What was so important in this bundle that such secrecy was required?

He then folded the cloth away, revealing a yellow rodent. Something terrible had happened to it, because it shied away from the sailor's hands, flinching at every sound.

Upon being gestured to check it out, since she was a Pokémon nurse, the sailor began to talk, softly.

"This Pikachu belonged to Lt Surge, from that Gym. I am a trainer there, with a Pikachu of my own. This one hatched from an egg laid in the Gym, so the Gym is all he knows. As you might know, Lt Surge looks down on unevolved Pokémon. This Pikachu does not want to evolve. Lt Surge tried to make him by forcing a stone onto him often. This morning, he was fed up with him. What he did exactly, I don't know, but this is the result."

The Pikachu seemed to be most scared of men, since it did not flinch from Izzy's soft hands. Sitting down on a chair, the young Nurse moved slowly and carefully so she wouldn't spook the poor Electric-type. She rubbed his cheeks, checked for internal injuries. A tiny relief was that the Pikachu had no physical injuries. However, it did not explain what had happened.

"I think that this Pokémon is wary of humans, now. Lt Surge is probably the only man he knows and all he had done was force this mouse to do stuff he did not want to. You have a Pikachu, you said? I suggest you have them meet. If you are a good trainer, this Pikachu might see not all men are forceful like the lieutenant. If Pikachu does not recover, it's a good idea to release him." Isabelle stood up from the chair, rubbing the Pokémon on his little head. He was so skittish. It broke her heart. While Lt Surge didn't abuse the poor thing, being kind was entirely different.

The sailor sighed and nodded, thanking her for her advice. Isabelle touched his arm in consolation.

"Don't worry. If your heart is in the right place, he might see that too. Don't give up on him." She smiled softly at the chubby sailor.


	26. 026 Raichu

**#026 Raichu**

 _Raichu, the Mouse Pokémon. The evolved form of Pikachu. Raichu exudes a weak electrical charge from all its body and slightly glows in the dark, and is capable of storing over 100,000 volts of electricity. However, it will become aggressive if it has stored too much electricity. To keep from reaching this state, it discharges electricity through its tail into the ground. This leads to scorched patches near its nest. If Raichu's sacs are fully charged, its ears will stand straight up and its muscles become stimulated. Raichu is found in forests and woodlands._

Growing up in a busy city like Celadon, Nurse Isabelle found herself longing for some tranquillity occasionally. This time, she decided to go to the sea. Route 25, near Bill's Lighthouse. She loved this place.

Pidgeotto was flying around, soaring over the sea. Wartortle was out, too, playing in the waves. Ponds and baths weren't enough for a Water-type to stay healthy. They needed real water every now and then. Her cries told Izzy she was feeling much better. Ivysaur was around somewhere, too. The sun was shining and so Izzy would be able to find him napping somewhere.

"Hello? Whose Ivysaur is this?" Speak of the devil, and he shall appear. Nurse Isabelle turned around and saw a familiar man standing a bit further off. His orange Pokémon was fuzzing over what seemed to be her Grass-type, who was totally out cold. Not wanting to keep him waiting, Isabelle jogged over to where they were, trusting Pidgeotto and Wartortle to take care of themselves and each other.

"He's mine. I'm sorry, he just likes the sun… Oh! Hello there!" Isabelle recognised the man as Dominic, the guy with the borrowed Pidgeotto. She, in her Nurse-themed outfit, was much easier to recognise and she received a smile back.

"Hey there, Nurse Isabelle. Fancy meeting you again," he told her. Dominic Whitewater was a tall, thin trainer with a heart of gold. From their previous conversation, they found out that they thought the same about Pokémon welfare; that they were friends and partners, not tools for personal gain.

"So this is the Pokémon you spoke about? A Raichu. Nice choice," Isabelle praised, kneeling down in the sand in front of the dark orange mouse. Her fur looked healthy and her mild temperament told Izzy she wasn't over-charged. "She looks great," the nurse told Dom with a smile.

Dominic beamed back at her. "She should. This little lady is quite important to me. Aren't you, Rai?" He asked her.

"Rai! Rai!" Raichu replied energetically.

Dominic ran a hand through his black hair, which was made messy by the sea wind and smiled down at the golden blonde.

"I was on my way to find some lunch. Perhaps you'd like to come with me, to share a picnic?" His smile held more warmth than the sun did.

Isabelle stroked Raichu's head bashfully. "I'd like to, but preferably here. It's been so long since my Pokémon could play. I'd hate to call them back now while they're having so much fun."

Dominic nodded. "Good thing I came prepared then. Ta-dah!" He called out, revealing a picnic basket. It made her laugh. "I have enough food for two, and for four Pokémon. Please join me?" He asked. Isabelle couldn't help but agree.

So there they sat on the sand. Their backpacks functioned as tables and all around the two trainers sat the Pokémon. An Ivysaur, a Pidgeotto, a Wartortle, and a Raichu. Strangely enough, Wartortle and Raichu were sitting together, chattering in the way only girls could do. Isabelle explained to Dominic that Wartortle used to watch over a band of Squirtle and, therefore, was rumoured to have quite a soft spot for young Pokémon. Dominic nodded and told her that Raichu tried to nurture anything. Big or small, young or old; it didn't matter to Raichu. She even cared for him. That made Izzy smile.

Isabelle noticed that Dominic preferred to pay attention to Pidgeotto rather than Ivysaur. She wasn't entirely sure why. It couldn't be her Ivy's personality since it's just an affectionate napper. Because of the pleasant mood of the picnic, Isabelle decided to ask him if she'd ever see him again. Not today.

As the sun set, they finally finished all of the food. They had been sitting there for hours. Talking to Dominic was so easy that time flew by. Pidgeotto had already returned to his ball to rest. Ivysaur was sleeping, yet again. Wartortle and Raichu were searching for something in the sand of the beach. Possibly shells.

Standing up and brushing the sand off their clothing, they both packed again. Isabelle would stay with Bill in his Lighthouse and Dominic would go to Cerulean City. They shook each other's hands as they said goodbye. In the background, Wartortle and Raichu were hugging.

"Well, then. I do hope to see you again. It's been a pleasure having lunch with you," Isabelle smiled up at the tall male.

"The pleasure is all mine, princess," he smiled. He kissed her hand, recalled Raichu, and walked off.

Isabelle shook her head to get herself together, recalled her own Pokémon, and headed off to the lighthouse in the distance.


	27. 027 Sandshrew

**#027 Sandshrew**

 _Sandshrew, the Mouse Pokémon. Sandshrew spends much of its time hidden underground in deep burrows. It only emerges to hunt, which it does by waiting within its burrow to instantly lunge out and drag in passing prey. Sandshrew can quickly curl into a tight ball to protect itself from great falls and opponents, but may also throw sand at attackers. While its body can efficiently absorb water to facilitate life in the desert, Sandshrew has been found in caves as well._

For the last few days, it had been raining mercilessly. Water-type Pokémon were overjoyed with this, but other types not so much. On the first sunny day after the heavy rain, Nurse Isabelle walked around to check out the damage. The most obvious issue was that the rivers had flooded. The people in the towns weren't in dire need of help. They merely had wet ankles. Nurse Isabelle was worried more for the Pokémon.

It didn't take long to find her one. On the place where there used to be a grassy slope, filled with burrows, none of the ground was visible anymore. The entire slope was covered with murky water. The ground was soggy and mud-covered, making it unable to support weight or hold the structures built in it by the Ground-types.

Speaking of the Ground-types, a Sandshrew laid on the mud-covered ground, seemingly unconscious. Sandshrew hated water, so to see one laying in the muddy water was concerning at the very least. Isabelle immediately called Ivysaur out of his ball.

"Ivy, use Vine Whip to pull Sandshrew out of the mud," she commanded. Grunting determinedly, the Grass-type followed the order right away. His claws dug into the sludge as he jerked hard to free the Sandshrew from the sucking grip of the muck. As Isabelle fully expected him to, Ivysaur was able to pull it free and onto the dry grass which had been spared from the muddy water. The grass had dried in the sun.

Against her wish to clean the Mouse Pokémon up, Isabelle ordered the Sandshrew to be laid down in the sun. Rather than a bath, the Ground-type would benefit much more from simply drying in the sun. It was a Pokémon capable of handling a desert, after all.

As Sandshrew laid in the sun, drying up, Isabelle sat nearby, guarding it. Ivysaur napped next to the Sandshrew. Her Grass-type could be so lazy sometimes, never skipping a possible nap. About an hour or two after the Sandshrew was pulled from the mud, its eyes opened. Carefully, Isabelle crawled closer, stroking its head gently while smiling and making soothing sounds. With her hands, she brushed the dried mud from its dry skin. This little Pokémon would be okay. This knowledge relieved Isabelle. She loved fortunate endings.


	28. 028 Sandslash

**#028 Sandslash**

 _Sandslash, the Mouse Pokémon. The evolved form of Sandshrew. Sandslash has two large claws on its paws and feet. These claws are its primary weapons, and are used for slashing. They can also be used for burrowing. Its claws and spikes can both break off and are shed regularly, but grow back quickly. It can curl into a large ball to protect its white underbelly. In this position, it can roll to attack or escape and protect itself from heatstroke. Sandslash is also adept at climbing trees, and is prone to ambush its enemies from above. Sandslash can mostly be found in deserts._

Somewhere near Pewter City, Nurse Isabelle's help was needed again. A couple of miners were doing maintenance on the Rock Tunnel, removing rocks that are in the way, fortifying the ceiling, and other stuff Isabelle had never been interested in. But that wasn't why she was there. One of the Pokémon helping the miners had fallen ill.

Sitting in the small, but cosy house of one of the miners, Isabelle was kneeling on the ground next to the sick Mouse Pokémon. The poor thing had a harsh fever, probably from working too hard. Pokémon tended to go far for their trainers and sometimes too far. The heat from the fireplace made the cabin nicely warm. The Sandslash preferred heat over cold so this should make it feel better and help it heal easier.

While Isabelle was doing her best to bring the Sandslash's fever down, her Ivysaur helped the miner whose Pokémon she was treating. Ivysaur could Dig a little and could use the training, having napped way too much over the last weeks. Izzy had been going a bit soft on her affectionate starter.

Meanwhile, Pidgeotto was out to fly to the Pokémon centre to get some medicine for this Pokémon. All Nurse Isabelle could do now was make sure the Sandslash drank enough and kept warm.

Izzy's heart melted for this Sandslash. Even delirious with fever, it constantly sought praise and recognition. Its trainer had apparently raised it with a lot of positive reinforcement. Izzy had noticed he treated it this way from the way he said goodbye to his Pokémon, leaving with her Ivysaur. He had knelt in front of the Mouse Pokémon and whispered to it to take it easy and rest up. He had said that Sandslash was his champion and even champions needed rest occasionally.

While waiting for Pidgeotto to return, the Sandslash had left its place in front of the fireplace and crawled up against Izzy, so she got herself comfortable in front of the fireplace and allowed the spiky mouse to snuggle against her chest with its chin on her shoulder. Because it had so many spikes, Isabelle could not pet it but that Sandslash didn't seem to mind this. Like this, the Pokémon fell asleep.

By the time the sun set and the miner came home with her Ivysaur, the Sandslash had napped for hours and even had a Potion to regain strength. The spiky mouse was feeling much better. Ivysaur, however, wasn't as pleased. It was tough work, working for a miner and he was entirely covered in mud. His mood brightened a lot when his Human brushed him until he was all clean and shining, fed him an amazing meal with the tastiest Pokémon food, and then allowed him to sleep on her bed with her in the Pokémon centre tonight.


	29. 029 Nidoran

**#029 Nidoran**

 _Nidoran_ _, the Poison Pin Pok_ _é_ _mon. The poison secreted by the spines and horn is extremely potent, and even a scratch from its horn or a drop of poison from its barbs can be deadly. However, this docile Pokémon only uses its poison when it feels threatened. Nidoran_ _lives in open spaces, such as savannas and plains. Nidoran_ _is an exclusively female Pok_ _é_ _mon, Nidoran_ _being its male counterpart._

The summer had officially ended and with autumn, a lot of wind and rain came. Today was such a day. It was raining so hard that Nurse Isabelle couldn't see a hand in front of her eyes. The wind nearly blew her over. She needed to find shelter and fast.

Covering her face with her arms to prevent rain from getting into her eyes, Isabelle took step by difficult step. The Squirtle-patterned raincoat she was wearing wasn't doing much to keep her dry. Her white pants were sticking to her legs, and her socks were so wet every step was accompanied with a squishy sound.

Suddenly, Isabelle heard something, causing her to stand upright and try to hear over the gale. There it was again. A piteous cry for help. It did not sound human so that meant a Pokémon was in trouble. Leaving the path, Isabelle went straight to the sound, keeping her eyes out for any Pokémon that might still be out in the rain.

After slipping and falling twice, causing her trousers to be covered with mud, Isabelle found the source of the sound. Underneath a tree, a small blue Pokémon was huddled, trying to keep itself warm. Those ears and barbs, in that colour, were unmistakable; it was a female Nidoran. It was curled up and whimpering, being rocked back and forth by the merciless wind. It was curious to find one alone. Usually, they stuck together, especially in weather like this.

Coming closer, Isabelle was noticed by the frightened little Pokémon. It looked up at her with its pleading, big eyes. Kneeling in front of her, Isabelle rubbed the Nidoran's head with her thumb. For a moment, she had forgotten the weather. The tree sheltered them from the rain, anyway.

"Many years ago, I would have loved to capture you. I love Nidoran. But why must you be so poisonous?" Isabelle asked the pure Poison-type. Despite her cute looks, she did not trust it. She didn't trust those barbs or the tiny horn on her head.

Isabelle took her raincoat off and wrapped it around the female Nidoran, protecting the Poison Pin Pokémon from the rain and herself from those pins.

"I hope you like Squirtle," She mumbled, referring to the pattern on her raincoat as she covered the Nidoran. "Come on. Let's go find shelter. You're shivering," Isabelle said. It was truly a shame she could not give this Pokémon the love it deserved. This would have been such an easy capture.

The light blue Pokémon was a tad heavy but nothing Isabelle couldn't carry. Ivysaur was heavier than this tiny one.

Not far away, Izzy found a cave. After exploring carefully, she declared it safe to rest in. Shivering because she was frigid, Isabelle wished she had a Fire-type Pokémon. She could certainly use the warmth right now.

Something bumping against her leg made her look over curiously and then tense up. The Nidoran had left the raincoat and was snuggling up against her leg, burying her snout underneath her paws to make it darker or something.

That night, Isabelle slept restlessly. Whenever the tiny rabbit-like Pokémon moved, she was afraid of being hit by her Poison Point. So when the morning came and the sun rose, she was happy when it woke up. Only, there was a tiny problem. It would not leave. The female Nidoran followed her around, maybe thinking Isabelle was her mother now? With a sigh, the golden blond nurse decided to look for the mother. She should be around here somewhere.


	30. 030 Nidorina

**#030 Nidorina**

 _Nidorina, the Poison Pin Pokémon. The evolved form of the female Nidoran. Nidorina is a gentle Pokémon, known to be a caring mother that chews food for its young. It seems to display close family bonds with others of its kind, and becomes nervous when separated. Nidorina prefers not to fight since its horn grows slowly, but if forced or enraged, it prefers physical attacks such as clawing and biting. It also emits ultrasonic cries to befuddle foes. Nidorina lives in hot savannas and plains._

The following morning after Nurse Isabelle had rescued the little female Nidoran, the rain had stopped. Holding an apple in her hand as breakfast for on the road, Izzy left the cave in a good mood. It felt amazing to be able to walk normally again, albeit carefully because of the mud everywhere. This rainstorm had left the forest a mess. A cry made her freeze. Behind her, the young Nidoran came running towards her, crying for her to wait so she can catch up. Isabelle sighed.

"Come on, you. Go back home. It's not storming anymore," she sounded slightly cross, but that was because she did not want the cute yet poisonous Pokémon following her. It would be so easy to just catch it right now, but she could never love her the way she loved her other Pokémon. No, Nidoran should go home. It obviously had one. They could not survive alone for long.

The blue Pokémon ignored Izzy's words and sat at her heel, waiting for the nurse to start walking again. With an annoyed sigh, Isabelle started walking again. She'd have to find its mother for her.

Not far ahead, after only an hour or two of walking, Isabelle heard something. The Pokémon sounded in great distress so Isabelle jogged towards the source of the sound. A Nidorina sat on the side of the road, crying out over and over again. Even Nidoran's poking could not cheer her up.

Around the Nidorina, the ground was a mess. Scorch marks were everywhere, even on the trees surrounding the area, most likely coming from a fire-breather while the claw and skid marks probably belonged to its opponent. The Nidorina smelled the ground, laying on the grass next to an imprint of a collapsed Pokémon. Clearly, she had known the Pokémon that had collapsed there.

Snapping a branch under her foot accidentally, Isabelle made herself known. The Nidorina shot up, with fearful eyes. At least, her wailing had stopped. It cowered away, as if afraid of humans. This was odd behaviour for an otherwise gentle kind of Pokémon.

On the road, heavy boot prints showed in the mud. Combining those with the signs of a fight, it wasn't hard to figure out what had happened. A trainer must have captured a Pokémon here, using his own Fire-type.

"You knew this one?" Isabelle pointed to the indentation in the grass. The Nidorina nodded, causing Izzy to sigh. Oh dear, a broken heart. While Isabelle ran a hand through her hair to think of what to do to soothe her distress, the Nidoran began talking to the Nidorina. At first, the bigger blue Pokémon didn't listen much but Nidoran must have said something that seemed like an amazing idea to Nidorina. They both cried out in excitement and ran over to Izzy, both sitting patiently at her heel.

"Are you kidding me? Both of you? Go away! I don't want you to follow me!" Yet again, they ignored her. So it's true what men said about women. Females seemed to be selective of hearing. Isabelle groaned.

"Fine! But as soon as I find you shelter or a better place to stay, I'm leaving you there. Surely, there's a mother Pokémon or human willing to take you two in," she grumbled as she walked off with her increased, blue tail.


	31. 031 Nidoqueen

**#031 Nidoqueen**

 _Nidoqueen, the Drill Pokémon. The evolved form of Nidorina and the final evolution of the female Nidoran. Nidoqueen can be quite fierce and is very protective over its young. This Pokémon is at its strongest when it is defending its young, and will try to seal the entrance to its burrow to protect them. When in contact with foes, it can poison them with the spikes from its back or cause small tremors by slamming the ground. It is also adept at sending foes flying with harsh tackles and it uses its hefty bulk to execute powerful moves. Nidoqueen lives in hot savannas and plains._

One morning found Nurse Isabelle and her blue tail in a tiny, rural town. It did not have a gym or a Pokécentre, so Isabelle stocked up at the berry farm. The elderly couple that stood in the store was happy to do business with her while their children and grandchildren took care of the berries. Because she had such lovely Nidos following her, the elderly woman gave her a small discount on the berries, allowing Izzy to purchase more for the same money. Completely stocked up on berries that took care of any ailment and also some healing berries, Isabelle asked the lady if she were interested in adopting the Nidoran.

"You see, I found this one in the forest nearby, all alone and cold. I don't want to take it since she needs a lot of attention and probably a mother. I cannot be that person for her."

To her disappointment, the lady from the berry shop shook her head.

"I'm sorry, I am too old to take in a young'un like that. But I know something that might help you. Every week or so, a giant blue one, a Nido… Nido… Nidoqueen! That was it! A Nidoqueen passes through town, followed by a lot of tiny ones like those two you got there. She's due today, so maybe that's the mother you're looking for, my dear?"

Isabelle thanked the lady and exited the shop, smiling. It sounded like the perfect solution.

Outside, Isabelle didn't have to wait long. As she sat on the grass, eating lunch, with the female Nidoran snuggled against her leg, a loud cry startled all of them. Despite being timorous about those poisonous spikes from Nidoran, she had to admit the small, blue Pokémon was rather cute. Now she felt bad for it as it leapt into the air, startled by the noise. The ground vibrated a little with every step the Pokémon approaching made, which was presumably a Nidoqueen with her posse of Nidos. Frightened, the female Nidoran began to cry out pitifully, drawing the attention of the Nidoqueen. Because of that, Isabelle faced a mad looking Nidoqueen.

This Nidoqueen was absolutely massive. Normally, they didn't get bigger than adult humans, but this one certainly was. As Isabelle stood, the Nidoqueen was taller than her.

"Hey," Izzy started uneasily. "Are these two yours? I found them crying in the woods." Isabelle didn't point at the woods in fear she might look threatening. "Nidoran? Is this your mother?" The wailing blue Pokémon didn't seem to hear her.

The Nidoqueen called out softly, a tone of voice Isabelle remembered from her own mother. Both the Nidos that had been following her perked up right away. Nidoran ran towards the Queen to rub her poisonous, little spikes against her leg while the other Nidorina in the Queen's posse took care of Izzy's depressed one.

"Take good care of them, Nidoqueen," Isabelle told her, probably unnecessarily. "Nidorina seems to be mourning. And Nidoran certainly could use some love."

The Nidoqueen nodded slowly, apparently recognising Isabelle as a worthy caretaker and then turned around to resume her journey with an even bigger posse of Nidos. Isabelle had had to step back to avoid her spikes but after that, she watched both fondly and with pain in her heart as her tail left her. They had been cute, yet so poisonous.


	32. 032 Nidoran

**#032 Nidoran**

 _Nidoran_ _, the Poison Pin Pok_ _é_ _mon. Nidoran_ _constantly listens for the sounds of approaching enemies with its large ears. Said ears have unique muscles that allow them to be moved in any direction, and even the slightest sound does not escape Nidoran_ _'s notice. In order to listen to distant locations, it flaps its ears like wings. When angry, it extends its toxic spikes and charges, stabbing with its horn to inject poison. Nidoran_ _lives in open spaces, such as savannas and plains._

Now that the female Nidoran and the Nidorina that had been following her been delivered safely to a good home, Nurse Isabelle made haste to get out of this forest. She was quite uncomfortable with all these Poison types. They all looked so adorable but the sight of their spikes and pins made her skin crawl. She felt filthy because of the rain from the last days, combined with the mud which is now coating her shoes and legs up to her knees. Isabelle couldn't wait to get to a Pokémon centre and get a nice, hot bath. She'd wash Wartortle, brush Ivysaur and Pidgeotto, and just spend a quiet evening with her non-poisonous Pokémon. Yes, she knew Ivysaur was a secondary Poison-type, but as long as he didn't know any venomous attacks, he was harmless.

Unfortunately, her bath had to wait. In the middle of the road, with its paws deep in the mud, a pink Nidoran sat. It looked overjoyed to see her, making Isabelle sigh inwardly. Her adventures in this forest weren't done yet, apparently.

The Nidoran looked absolutely filthy. He appeared to have been digging because his front paws and face were brown with mud. The entire forest was sludgy after the heavy rainfall that had occurred around the time that Isabelle had found the female Nidoran.

"What have you done to yourself? Look at you!" Isabelle called out, unable to stop the urge to mother it a little. The Nidoran looked at himself in a puddle and seemed to shrug, not caring about how he looked. So different from her Wartortle, Isabelle thought.

"So… what's up?" She asked the Nidoran. He looked overjoyed she asked. He jumped off the road into the grass and began barking at her.

"Ni! Ni! Ni!" He ran a couple paces and then called out to her again. "NI! Ni!"

Isabelle had worked with enough Pokémon to know that this one wanted her to follow him. Mourning her poor sneakers, which until recently had been white and pink, she trudged off the road into the thick of the wood again. The Nidoran kept racing ahead, calling out for her impatiently.

"Yes, yes. I'm coming," Isabelle couldn't hide the annoyance in her voice. The lack of sleep and hygiene was catching up with her. She realised she had had it easy up until now, always able to stay near the towns and have shelter in the Pokécentres. But merely visiting Gyms and townsfolk was not all she set out to do. Helping wild Pokémon, far from where humans normally travelled, needed to be done, too.

A bit ahead, Nidoran was digging furiously. Taking a deep breath, she bottled her frustrations and focussed on the task at hand. A Pokémon had called her here, probably to see something. While she had expected an injured Pokémon, this didn't appear to be the case.

Eventually, Nidoran found what he was looking for. Filthier than ever, he trotted over to Isabelle with a rock in his maw. Taking the stone carefully from Nidoran's mouth, she wiped it off on her white trousers. Underneath the muck, it appeared to sparkle nicely. Holding it in the sunlight that managed to shine through the leaves of the trees, Isabelle could see veins running through the stone.

"This is a Moon stone," Izzy said, clearly in awe. She had not expected the Poison-type to be able to find such a thing, being a little prejudiced against them. "Well done, Nidoran. Do you want to keep it, to evolve later?" Nidoran shook his head. He gently nudged his nose against her hand in a manner that said 'you keep it'.

For the first time in days, Isabelle smiled at the helpful Nidoran and carefully stroked his muddy head.

"Thank you, Nidoran." Izzy stored the stone in her backpack to be used later.


	33. 033 Nidorino

**#033 Nidorino**

 _Nidorino, the Poison Pin Pokémon. The evolved form of the male Nidoran. Nidorino is independent and fierce, often described as violent and easily angered. It uses its ears to check its surroundings. If it senses a hostile presence, all the barbs on its back bristle up at once, and it challenges the foe with all its might. Nidorino live in hot savannas and plains._

With her coat closely wrapped around her body, Nurse Isabelle braced herself against the cold December air. She was very fond of this coat because it was so gorgeous. It gradiently changed from white to blue. In the transition, the white changed to snowflakes upon a blue sky. Her white hat, scarf, and gloves were nothing out of the ordinary. All purely functional, as they should be.

As Isabelle walked through the familiar forest, she reflected on how she had had some adventures here with several members of the Nidoran evolution line. It seemed so long ago but it couldn't have been more than two months. She wondered how they were doing. The lost female Nidoran, the depressed Nidorina. Even that messy male Nidoran. She hoped Nidoqueen took good care of them.

Soft whimpering broke the silence of the forest in winter. Izzy's thoughts immediately flew to the lost Nidoran and she dashed towards the sound. The source of said sound wasn't hard to find because it was larger than the Nidoran she had expected. It wasn't blue either.

Curled up underneath a bare tree was a light purple Nidorino. The poor thing was shivering on the frozen ground and obviously malnourished. Concerned for his health, Isabelle squatted near it, feeling his head for a fever. He had none. Actually, he was undercooled, which was much more concerning than a fever. His spikes looked rather dull, too.

Pulling her bag towards her, she immediately sought for her berry case. Food was of the most immediate concern right now. A juicy berry should give the poor guy some energy to start moving again. If Isabelle left him here like this, the Nidorino would starve.

Suddenly, she had an amazing idea. Nidoqueen and her posse should live around here; she could take care of this one. Grabbing a Pokéball from her belt, she enlarged it and summoned Wartortle.

"Wartortle, I need your help," Izzy spoke urgently. Her Water-type was strong against ice and could endure this wintery cold. "There is a Nidoqueen nearby. She should live in a cave with a lot of Nidoran and Nidorina. Can you please find her for me and call her here?" After staring at her Mistress for a long moment, Wartortle turned around and ran off, without giving any kind of verbal agreement. Isabelle sighed. The relationship between her and her Wartortle was getting worse. Soon, it would be time to think about what was best for Wartortle.

Feeding the weak Nidorino some of her nutritious berries, Izzy waited anxiously for Wartortle and Nidoqueen. It felt like ages before she heard the thumping sounds of a heavy Pokémon approaching. Wartortle didn't stop running and let herself back into her ball as Nidoqueen thundered towards Izzy and the Nidorino.

"I found him like this. I've been trying to feed him some of these berries…" she showed said berries to the Nidoqueen. "..., but he doesn't respond much. Please, Nidoqueen, take him in your posse. He will die, otherwise. He cannot survive alone; this much is clear!"

Nidoqueen grunted, stooped down, and swept the Nidorino up, who had lost consciousness. Then the matriarch stomped away to her den. Isabelle grabbed her bag and followed the blue Pokémon that was taller than she was.

In the den, Nidoqueen laid him down and barked orders to the Nidorina around, who immediately began gathering moss and food to warm him and feed him. While most Nidorina looked quite the same to her, Izzy recognised one. The Nidorina that had been depressed. There was something about her horns or snout that Izzy found familiar. The Nidorina that had been in mourning for a lost mate now scuffled close to the weak Nidorino and gently started licking his nose and snout as if to encourage him to open his eyes. And he did, softly calling out for her. Nidorina moved to press her body against his, sharing her body warmth.

From the entrance to the den, Isabelle watched fondly. It seemed another Pokémon has found a happy ending. Both Nidorina and Nidorino had found someone to live for and would probably be okay now.


	34. 034 Nidoking

**#034 Nidoking**

 _Nidoking, the Drill Pokémon. The evolved form of Nidorino and the final evolution of the male Nidoran. It is said that Nidoking's tail is capable of toppling a metal transmission tower. Nidoking uses this tail to smash, constrict, or break the bones of its prey and enemies. The tail can be swung to create distance between it and its foes before Nidoking charges. Its steel-like hide adds to its powerful, rampaging charges. Nidoking lives in grasslands._

Nurse Isabelle was a firm believer in quality time with her Pokémon. Today, she was taking care of her Pidgeotto. She'd been training him for search and rescue, which included steady flying, strength, and many other useful skills. Only this morning had he officially finished his training to become one of the first Medical Birds. Pidgeotto seemed to love doing the training. He always had had a knack for the daring activities, but Izzy never thought her bird was so heroic. With his chest puffed out, he extended his right leg so Isabelle could attach the wrap around it to mark him as a Medical Bird. No matter which Pokémon centre or even pharmacy he went, this wrap ensured he would be given whatever Nurse Isabelle asked for on an official note.

In the main hall, a commotion could be heard. The double doors had swung open and many men entered. Most of them were in black with sunglasses. The fifth one, flanked by the men, wore a brown suit. Mr Brown Suit slammed his hand on the counter, startling a young Joy, and demanded that someone was to heal his Nidoking. Sighing, Isabelle smoothed down the skirt of the trademark nurse uniform and headed over to the main hall, leaving Pidgeotto to observe his wrap in the mirror.

"Can I help you, sirs?" Isabelle asked in her best, most professional voice, even though she had little patience with such demanding, arrogant men. Mr Brown Suit turned around to face her. As his eyes dragged from her head to her shoes and back, Isabelle looked at him. She realised who he was and her stomach dropped. He was Giovanni, Viridian Gym Leader and suspected member of Team Rocket. Nothing has been proven yet, unfortunately. Giovanni was a tall, broad man. He could have been handsome one day, but all the smirks and frowns that appeared on his face made him look rather frightening. It did not help that he had several bodyguards, all taller than both Isabelle and Giovanni.

"You're no Joy," Giovanni stated, crossing his arms. Isabelle merely smiled.

"That would be correct, sir. I am Nurse Isabelle. Just as medically trained as all the Joys. At your service," she gave the tiniest of curtsies, just to mock him. She pulled her braided hair over one shoulder after it had slipped off.

Giovanni seemed to think for a moment before deciding he did not care which nurse he was talking to. He extended his hand and threw a Pokéball at Isabelle.

"Nidoking is crippled. His Poison Point is no longer working. Without his Poison, he is of no use to me. Make sure he gets his poison back or make sure he doesn't wake up." Giovanni growled. This startled Isabelle, but she did not dare lecture him. She bowed her head, cradling the Pokéball in her hand, and motioned for the group to follow her to Examining Room 1.

In there, she released Nidoking from his ball and ran a general series of tests on him. The Nidoking was exceptionally well trained. It did not move a muscle without the command of his trainer. He didn't even listen to Isabelle much. Izzy noticed that this Nidoking was buffer than any she had seen before. Giovanni apparently didn't only keep his own body in shape.

The cause of the lack of poison was surprisingly easy to find, even though Isabelle had expected this result.

"Your Nidoking isn't crippled, sir. He is merely exhausted. Has Nidoking been in a lot of battles, recently? Yes? I thought so. Using his ability so often caused Nidoking to run out of poison. Nothing incurable. Too many battles and not enough rest. Don't use Nidoking for battles for the coming week and he should be fine. If you doubt he will, you can bring him back next week for a new check-up, and the Joy on duty will tell you the same."

Isabelle patted Nidoking's shoulder. "You've taken good care of Nidoking. I'm always pleased to see that. I'd prefer it if I could examine your other Pokémon, too. If it's too much hassle to bring them all here, we could arrange a date that I visit your Gym and examine them there."

With an appointment in her agenda to visit Viridian Gym for an examination, Isabelle said goodbye to Giovanni and his men, exhaling deeply. That man was terrifying and had the ability to make everyone feel uncomfortable.


	35. 035 Clefairy

**#035 Clefairy**

 _Clefairy, the Fairy Pokémon. Clefairy is very shy and rarely shows itself to humans. On the rare occasions it does come down from its mountain home, it can be seen dancing under the light of the full moon. Once the sun starts to rise, it returns home where it sleeps nestled with other Clefairy. Though incapable of flight, Clefairy's wings can store moonlight and allow it to float._

A rustling sound woke Nurse Isabelle up. She was sleeping in one of the guest rooms of a small-town Pokémon centre. Sleepily, Isabelle looked at her bedside clock, which told her it was in the middle of the night, somewhere between two and three in the morning. Stroking her long, curly hair away from her face, she tried to figure out what woke her. Something pale and radiating was searching through her bag before going back to the open window. 'Clefairy,' it chanted before leaping out.

Suddenly awake now, Isabelle leapt out of her bed and looked out of the window. There, radiant in the light of the full moon, bounced the Clefairy soundlessly through the sleeping town, aside from occasionally singing its name. Isabelle hurried to get dressed. She pulled some trousers over her Raichu-orange pyjama shorts and merely swung her coat over her black pyjama shirt on which a Raichu was sleeping with an old-fashioned nightcap on. She quickly pulled on her sneakers, grabbed her Pokéballs and was out in less than five minutes.

Her long, golden blond hair whipped in the wind behind her as Isabelle chased the Clefairy. Searching for clothing to wear had revealed something was missing from her bag. Her necklace with the teardrop hanger made of iridescent crystal. It had been an 18th birthday gift from her mother and she was rather fond of it. Unfortunately, with her line of work, she couldn't wear it, but she always kept it with her. Now, the Clefairy had taken it.

In the town, Isabelle saw more than one Clefairy, making it hard to determine which one had stolen from her. Other townspeople were up too though no one seemed as frantic as the young nurse was. She was stopped by a young couple.

"The Clefairy! They took something from me!" Isabelle could not keep her cool and looked around her agitatedly for either the Clefairy that stole from her or a way to escape these two people.

"We know, dear. Calm down," said the man. He seemed perfectly calm. "They do this every full moon. It's considered good luck if something of yours was taken. Come on, I'll show you. We'll watch them."

Sceptically, Isabelle followed the couple, that walked infuriatingly slowly. They made their way to Mount Moon, but they did not enter. They went up, over a well-hidden path Isabelle would have missed otherwise. The path led to a clearing on the mountainside, where the Clefairy were, bouncing and twirling around a heap of shinies. Combined with their chanting, it seemed as if the Clefairy were singing.

Against the wall of the clearing, the young couple sat down, embracing. They watched the Clefairy as if it were the most romantic thing they ever saw. Resting her back against the cold rock, Isabelle watched with crossed arms, ready to pounce the moment they took off with the shinies. But her paranoia appeared not to be necessary. The moment the sun came up, the Clefairy stopped and bounced off again, yawning. They probably would snuggle up somewhere, Isabelle read back in her studying days, but right now she was more concerned with finding her necklace.

More and more people showed up to look for their jewellery and gems. Eventually, Izzy found it. Holding the pendant in the light of dawn, she once again marvelled at how gorgeous it was. Truly unfitting for a practical girl like her, yet so pretty to look at.


	36. 036 Clefable

**#036 Clefable**

 _Clefable, the Fairy Pokémon. The evolved form of Clefairy. Clefable is a timid creature that flees when it senses people approaching, and is one of the world's rarest Pokémon. Its sensitive ears can distinctly hear a pin drop from half a mile away. Because of its acute hearing, it prefers to live in quiet, mountainous areas of which it is protective. Using a bouncy gait, it is able to walk on water and sometimes appears to be flying using its small wings._

Usually, at the nursing school, Sundays were calm and quiet because all the teenagers tried to sleep in. Not today, though. Even though the sun had barely risen, excited chatter could be heard all over the hallway as students talked to girls of other dorm rooms.

Sleepily, Isabelle and Wendy came out of their beds, standing in the doorway while rubbing the sleep out of their eyes. Izzy's hair nearly reached her waist when wet but since it was awfully curly this morning, it hung somewhere between her shoulders and elbows. Wendy's dark-blonde hair was messy too. Neither of the girls looked as well-groomed as all the dressed Joys in the hallway.

"What's up?" Isabelle asked groggily, inquiring after the reason of this loud chattering.

"Didn't you hear?" A Joy in her final year at the school asked. "Clefable have been seen nearby!" Then she rushed off, with her camera. Some Joys carried sketchbooks, while others merely brought their photographic memory. Isabelle looked around for Petra, who was another non-Joy around here, but Wendy yanked on her arm.

"Clefable, Isa! Clefable!" She said excitedly, looking as chipper as all the other girls.

"Yes, I heard that, unless you're trying to imitate their call?" Isabelle was clearly not a morning person. Wendy merely laughed.

"No. I'm gonna find one! And you're coming with me." She decided. Isabelle groaned.

"Do I have to? It's so early. It isn't even seven yet."

"Yes!"

In a group of many Joys in casual clothing, the girls of the nursing school headed over to the rocky area where the Clefable were allegedly seen. Wendy was chatting animatedly about how she loved their gentleness and kept telling Izzy about the useful skills they could learn, such as something that might be called something with healing. Izzy wasn't really paying attention.

At the place where they have been seen, all girls split up, as if not to startle the possible Clefable. Isabelle followed a couple of older Joys who were just as excited to find these odd Pokémon as Isabelle was. None of them believed Clefable were actually here. They all had to learn how shy they were.  
After an hour or two, most girls went back to the school. None of them had been able to find any sign of the Clefable. Feeling hungry herself, Isabelle looked for Wendy, knowing she'd be the last one to leave. That girl simply did not give up hope.

While full of faith, Wendy Foxglove wasn't the most elegant one of the two. Finding out where she had gone wasn't hard for Izzy since the path was marked by broken branches and trampled flowers.

In quite a lovely, secluded place, Isabelle found her friend Wendy, surrounded by large, pinkish Pokémon. Upon hearing her approach, they all looked at her and chanted as one, "Clefable!" After that, they ran off. Well, ran? They made big, exaggerated steps as they bounced away, as if gravity did not apply to them.

Wendy was still sitting on the stone where she had been, as if she had been having tea with the Clefable. Upon Isabelle's curious look, she merely smiled, got up, brushed her trousers off, and started walking back. Isabelle looked at her receding form for a long time. What a curious girl.


	37. 037 Vulpix

**#037 Vulpix**

 _Vulpix, the Fox Pokémon. Vulpix has a flame inside its body that never goes out, and is capable of manipulating fire to such precision as to create floating wisps of flame. When the temperature outside increases, it will expel flames from its mouths to prevent its body from overheating. Vulpix is known to feign injury to escape from opponents too powerful for it to defeat. Vulpix can be found most commonly in grassy plains._

Nurse Isabelle hadn't been on Cinnabar Island ever since she rescued a Charmeleon. While it hadn't been pleasant weather back then in early autumn, it was in the beginning of spring now. On the island, the weather was usually much warmer than the rest of Kanto, so Izzy was dressed accordingly. It felt so good to be out of that nurse's outfit for once. Wearing a sky-blue t-shirt with a Sandshew resting underneath a palm tree on it, and some jeans shorts, Isabelle couldn't even be recognised as a nurse anymore. Her golden blond hair was done up in a bun with a few strands framing her face.

As Isabelle walked over the path that led up to the volcano, she sighed at her porcelain legs. She had spent so much time working that her tan had completely gone back to milky white. Oh well, while there were Pokémon that needed her help, Isabelle couldn't take any time off.

While her time at Cinnabar may look like a holiday, it actually was not. She was on her way up to the Cinnabar Gym, one of her favourite ones based on the Pokémon used. Blaine used Fire types and most of them were so adorable. Vulpix, for example: the elegant fire fox with the gorgeous tails.

Blaine awaited her at the door of his inn. Isabelle could feel his eyes drag from her exposed legs up her body to finally settle on her face. He always did this, and it unsettled Izzy a little, but so far, he had meant no harm.

"Hey there, Blaine. I see you received my message. I thought I'd drop by. Surprise visit and all, to check that you're taking proper care of your Pokémon," Isabelle said, smiling brightly.

Blaine stood there in his bald-headed glory, wearing shorts and a short-sleeved shirt, doing his belly-shaking laugh.

"Nah, little lady, you just want to cuddle with my Pokémon some more. But that's okay. I got a little task for you, and I'm sure you'll like it!" He winked at her, creepily.

Following Blaine inside, he actually led her to the volcano. The place had more rooms than just the battlefield, and in one of them, where it was nearly unbearably hot, Isabelle saw an egg laying on a blanket. Two things were immediately noticeable about the egg. Firstly, it had the characteristic pattern of a Vulpix on it, being those gorgeous tails, so the kind of Pokémon that was in that egg wasn't hard to guess. But the second thing was much more worrying; the egg was cracked!

"Blaine!" Isabelle called out, utterly startled and fearful for the unborn Vulpix's life. "What happened here? How could this happen? I hope it wasn't you who did this!" She glared at him warningly, but he merely raised his hands innocently.

"No, little Missy. I did not do this. You know I'm worthless with female tasks like this." This earned him a frown from the blonde. "I found the egg like this," Blaine continued, as if he did not see Izzy. "It was near the geysers so it must have been launched? I have no idea what exactly happened, but I tell you, I did not do this. So, do your nurse magic. Save this Vulpix," he demanded. Isabelle sighed.

"Because you asked me so kindly…" She mumbled. Both of them knew she'd never deny an assignment like this. Life was much too precious to Isabelle not to accept it.

For the next few days, Isabelle didn't see much sun either. One of Blaine's gym trainers, who also had a Vulpix, was an excellent cook and made sure both Blaine and Isabelle ate properly. He had quite a task to get Isabelle to leave the antechamber in the volcano.

Then, late at night on the third day since Isabelle arrived at Blaine's Gym, the egg began to shake and crack even more. In her education, Isabelle had watched a fair share of hatchings but they always remained special to her. If she could not have been a nurse, she would have loved to work with eggs. It had been her second choice in life.

The egg wiggled and cracked further, before finally bursting open, flinging egg shell shards all over the place. The little Vulpix inside was a fighter, this much was sure from the way he survived the crack and the way he hatched.

After blinking a couple times, he opened his eyes and yawned adorably. Taking the fox in her arms, she checked him gently for any injuries or deformations. To her relief, she found none. He was quite a big boy, almost as big as grown Vulpix. His one tail was properly white and shone so brightly, it looked as if someone had brushed it all evening.

As the Vulpix kicked off the shell shards off his blanket and curled up, Isabelle wondered about one thing. Who would be his mother?


	38. 038 Ninetales

**#038 Ninetales**

 _Ninetales, the Fox Pokémon. The evolved form of Vulpix. Ninetales is a very vengeful Pokémon that has been known to curse those who mistreat it. This intelligent Pokémon is able to understand human speech easily. It can live for 1,000 years, due to the energy within its nine tails, each of which is said to have a different mystical power. Observation has shown that it can swim. It can be found living in grasslands._

With the newly born Vulpix in her arms, Nurse Isabelle finally left the volcano. For a long moment, she merely stood outside with her eyes closed, enjoying the feeling of the wind on her overheated skin. Vulpix, however, soon got bored and wiggled his way out of her arms, walking his way down the path to the inn on unsteady paws.

Following Vulpix, Isabelle headed to the area behind the inn, where some of the Gym trainers who did not come from Cinnabar Island lived. At the very least, Isabelle wished to thank the trainer who had fed her while she took care of the egg.

Izzy found him at the back exit of the inn, brushing his Vulpix. He greeted her and invited her to sit next to him on the porch. The newly born Vulpix climbed on her lap, still attached to the nurse since she had been the first thing he saw when he hatched.

As Isabelle watched silently how the trainer brushed his Vulpix, the young one tries to coax a reply out of the older fox. It was easy to keep track of who was making a sound since the male's voice was lower. Then Isabelle noticed something about the female Vulpix.

"Hey, your Vulpix only has three tales," Isabelle said. The guy, called Cain, nodded.

"That's right. Cinder – that's her name – hatched only just before winter. She's too young to battle just yet, so Blaze, my Ninetales, nurses her until she's about a year old," Cain said. Isabelle nodded thoughtfully.

"Could your Ninetales take this Vulpix? Blaine said the egg was alone, and I cannot raise him myself. He should stay with the gym."

"That's an excellent idea!" Cain exclaimed. "Blaze sure wouldn't mind. While she is nursing, she does not have to fight and get her fur dirty." He jumped up, with Ember in his arms. "Oh… ehm … is it alright if I take that Vulpix from you, then? I mean … it's not yours…" The poor guy looked so embarrassed to be even asking such a thing, making Isabelle laugh.

"You have to ask Blaine. Vulpix was born in his gym. But I am okay with it. Aren't you, Vulpix?" "Vul!" The fire fox cried out.

As they headed over to where the nursing Pokémon rested, Cain explained he lived in the inn. Having come here with an egg and an overprotective Ninetales, he could not be of any use fighting for the gym, so Blaine appointed him the cook of the inn. Luckily for him, he said, he loved cooking. Isabelle smiled at him and thanked him for cooking for her, only just not realising she had wanted to thank him in the first place. It had been delicious, she said.

In a building with open boxes, barks and neighs could be heard from the several Pokémon inside. A soft cry came from the box they were headed to, causing Cinder to squirm and dash inside. By the time Cain and Izzy arrived, the fox was already nestled comfortably underneath Blaze's nine tails as Ninetales lounged in the box.

Isabelle knelt in front of the two and set the young, male Vulpix on his paws in front of them. Giving him a tiny nudge, she encouraged him to go to them. Standing at the arch of the door, Cain and Izzy watched anxiously to see if he would be accepted in the little family.

Blaze, the Ninetales, sniffed the male fox for a long minute before licking his snout. She pulled him near with her front paw and licked his head and snout vigorously. Isabelle could breathe again. She smiled at Cain and whispered:

"If Blaine is okay with it, you have yourself a new member of the family."

Later in the evening, Isabelle said goodbye to Blaine and Cain on the porch of the inn. Blaine heavily tried to convince Isabelle to stay longer; surely, Vulpix is too young to be left behind, but Isabelle convinced him Vulpix would be in good hands under the excellent care of Cain's Ninetales.

"Come back soon, then!" Blaine told her as Isabelle waved goodbye, walking down the road. "E-mail me!"

Taking the boat back to the mainland, Isabelle regretted a tiny little that she could not have enjoyed the island a bit more, but hatching an egg had been nearly as good for her soul as time off would have been.


	39. 039 Jigglypuff

**#039 Jigglypuff**

 _Jigglypuff, the Balloon Pokémon. Jigglypuff uses its eyes to mesmerize opponents. Once it achieves this, it will inflate its lungs and begin to sing a soothing lullaby. If the opponent resists falling asleep, Jigglypuff will endanger its own life by continuing to sing until its lungs run out of air. It is able to adjust the wavelength of its voice to match the brain waves of someone in a deep sleep. This helps ensure drowsiness in its opponents. Jigglypuff can mostly be found in lush green plains and grassy meadows._

Nurse Isabelle spent most of the boat ride from Cinnabar Island out on the deck. It was a lovely day with only the slightest breath of wind and just enough sun not to feel cold. When the boat reached the harbour of Kanto mainland, Isabelle was one of the first ones to disembark.

Before doing anything else, Isabelle merely walked through town to get used to the change of motion. Having stood on the deck of a boat for several hours, her body still thought the ground was rocking in waves.

While the blond nurse was walking around, she found a kid sitting glumly on the playground in front of the Pokémon centre. There, he watched the trainers go in and out with their Pokémon, either chatting happily or with concerned looks on their faces. For a while, Isabelle simply leant against the monkey bars the gloomy kid was sitting on, silently.

"It's not fair," the kid eventually mumbled, signalling to Isabelle he wished to open up.

"What is?" Izzy merely asked in a soft voice, not looking at the boy yet. She kept her eyes on a young trainer who tried to convince his Beedrill to go in his Pokéball.

"I want to have a Pokémon, too."

"So, why don't you catch one?" Such a simple question yet the answer was rarely this simple.

"Dad won't allow me. He says it's too dangerous. That Pokémon are too dangerous. That I'm not grown up enough to tame a wild Pokémon."

Isabelle looked at the boy. He didn't look that young, maybe something like nine years old.

"You do not have to catch and tame a Pokémon in order to have one, you know?" The blond nurse said. That got the kid's attention.

"Really?!" His entire body language changed. From a slumped 'I hate the world' aura, he now seemed so much brighter. Isabelle smiled at him and nodded.

"The Pokémon centre has a shelter. Nothing big enough to have its own building, but occasionally Pokémon are brought in that cannot return to the wild. Either they've been abandoned or cannot fend for themselves anymore. Shelter Pokémon rarely are good fighters, but I doubt you want a Pokémon to fight with." Isabelle looked at him thoughtfully.

The boy shook his head so violently that he shook off his cap.

"No ma'am. I just want a friend. To play with and feed and have fun with."

Isabelle smiled, recognising her own young self in the kid. She wished to have a friend just like that when she was younger. She could play with the Pokémon in the centre, but it was never the same as having one for herself.

Standing up straight again and getting out of the sandpit, Isabelle held out her hand.

"Come on, then. Let's see if Joy has a friend just for you."

The child was skipping in joy, holding Isabelle's hand, as they entered the Pokémon centre. Nurse Joy behind the counter recognised Izzy (almost every Joy did, by now) and greeted her kindly.

"Hey there, Isabelle! Would you like to have a room? I have one free with a view of the sea." Isabelle smiled at the pink-haired nurse.

"Thanks, but no thanks. I just came from Cinnabar and am not staying here tonight. It's only morning. I've got something different today. Do you have any adoptable Pokémon, by any chance?"

Nurse Joy looked down into the hopeful eyes of the sandy-haired kid, recognising him as the merchant's son.

"For Jacky, I presume? I have two. The first one is an old Nidoking, which I doubt is suitable. But the second one might be just right." Nurse Joy said, mostly to Jacky. Then she looked at Izzy and said: "Long term treating room 5."

Isabelle thanked her and headed over to said room, wondering what could be in there that Joy thought suitable for the boy. Opening the door with the master key card every nurse had, they headed inside.

On the table in the middle of the room sat a pink Pokémon. Isabelle recognised it immediately and gasped. Surely, this wasn't a suitable Pokémon for a young boy? As Jacky rested his forearms and chin on the bed, Isabelle headed over for the description on this Pokémon.

"Jigglypuff," Isabelle read out loud. "While normally hard to handle because of their tendency to Sing, this male Jigglypuff has been born without much of a voice, the previous trainer said when she left it behind here. Jigglypuff is unable to cause anyone to fall asleep with his voice."

Hearing the nurse's voice, Jigglypuff woke up. With his appealing, large eyes, he glanced down at the child that looked up at him adoringly. Feeling his ego stroked, Jiggly puffed himself up and got ready to sing, but all he managed to bring out was a "Jiii~", it being only the first note of his characteristic song. Then he deflated, sadly, and turned his back on the two humans in the room.

"So, Jacky. This Jigglypuff is up for adoption. As you heard, he cannot Sing and, therefore, is unable to do many attacks. Be careful, it can slap you, though, but this Jiggly doesn't seem aggressive." Isabelle stroked the poor Balloon Pokémon over his head. "What do you think?"

"I love it!" Jacky shouted, startling Jigglypuff. Behind them, the door slid opened, revealing Nurse Joy and two people Isabelle did not recognise. Who they were wasn't hard to find out, since Jacky answered that for her. "Mom! Dad!" He held up the Jigglypuff in his hands above his head. Because Jigglypuff are basically air, they did not weigh a lot. "Can I puh-lease have this Pokémon?"

After a lot of begging by Jacky, explanation by Nurse Joy, and discussing between the parents, the male Jigglypuff finally had a new place to call home. Joy told Isabelle later she had called the parents as soon as the two of them were gone, having had a feeling Jacky would want to adopt the Pokémon. As the family walked out of the Pokémon centre, being one of the happy people Jacky used to envy, Isabelle and Joy high-fived each other. Another success story. It was good being a nurse.


	40. 040 Wigglytuff

**#040 Wigglytuff**

 _Wigglytuff, the Balloon Pokémon. The evolved form of Jigglypuff. It is covered in pink fur with a white underbelly and ear tips. This fine layer of fur is so soft that those who touch it, including other Wigglytuff, will not want to stop. Its body is soft and rubbery, allowing it to inflate by inhaling. While it is inflated, it is able to move by bouncing or floating. Wigglytuff can be found in vivid green plains and grassy fields._

The sun had long since set and Nurse Isabelle and her team were getting ready for bed. They'd gotten a four person, bunk bed room, so each of her Pokémon could have their own bed for once. On the two bottom beds, Ivysaur and Wartortle would be staying. Ivysaur was already asleep under the bed Isabelle would sleep on as the young nurse finished brushing Wartortle's tail. Brushing her own, long hair through, Isabelle looked at Pidgeotto through the mirror, who stood watch on the other top bunk. Her lips curled into a smile when she saw his eyes drooping. It's been a long day for them all.

As Isabelle casually brushed through her blond hair, she heard voices outside her door. It was faint, but she'd recognise one of those voices anywhere. Putting down her brush, Isabelle swung a robe over her Raichu pyjamas and headed outside. Her bare feet made no noise on the tiles of the Pokémon centre they were staying in.

In the main lobby of the centre, a girl stood with her back towards Izzy, talking to both Nurse Joy and a pinkish Pokémon that stood on the ground. Walking up to the sandy-haired girl, Izzy placed one hand on her hip and said in her best authoritative voice:

"So, where have you been?"

The girl leapt into the air, startled. Whatever she'd wanted to say, Izzy would never know, because the moment the girl turned around, she recognised Isabelle. With a shriek, she launched herself at Izzy, hugging her tightly. Grinning, Isabelle hugged her back.

"It's been a while, Wendy Foxglove."

Later, Isabelle and Wendy both sat on chairs in Izzy's room, talking quietly under the watchful eye of Pidgeotto. The golden blonde pointed out her Pokémon which she had partnered up with since the start of her journey, while Wendy introduced her to her own Pokémon, Wigglytuff. The Balloon Pokémon obediently sat on Wendy's lap as she explained that she'd adopted it for their amazing ability to soothe a Pokémon. Their singing was great for calming agitated Pokémon and their fur was incredibly soft when taken care of properly. Isabelle had to agree her Wiggly looked amazing. She was so well-mannered and kind, just like Wendy. Wiggly and Wendy, Isabelle joked, causing both girls to giggle.

Then, on a more serious note, Isabelle told her of her own life. Of how hard it was to keep on travelling, always looking for Pokémon in trouble. How she started visiting the gyms to make sure they treat their Pokémon properly. And Isabelle told Wendy that she had met someone. That certainly got the gentle girl's attention.

"His name is Dominic. I met him and his Raichu recently, near Bill's lighthouse." Isabelle sighed as she thought of him.

"You don't sound so happy…" Wendy said.

"It's just that I'm very conflicted. I really like him. He makes me laugh and eases whatever burden I'm carrying at the moment…"

"But…?"

"But it'd be impossible to date him. I won't settle down. I'll keep on being a travelling nurse until I can walk no more. That's hardly ideal to date a guy."

"But you said he's a traveller, too, right? It could work out when your paths cross and maybe even travel together if he doesn't mind."

Isabelle nodded slowly, mumbling something affirmative.

After talking a bit more, the nurses hugged and said goodbye. Wendy would be staying in a different room. Isabelle knelt down to hug Wigglytuff, too. A friend of Wendy's is a friend of hers.

"Follow your heart, Isa."

After that bit of advice, given by Wendy, she left the blonde's room to allow them to get some sleep


	41. 041 Zubat

**#041 Zubat**

 _Zubat, the Bat Pokémon. Zubat lives in abundance in caves. It has evolved to have neither eyes nor nostrils, instead navigating through dark environments with echolocation. As demonstrated in research, it will leave its abode at night with a mass of other Zubat in order to seek prey. During the daytime, Zubat sleeps hanging upside down in caves, forests, or under the eaves of old buildings, avoiding sunlight at all costs. Daylight causes Zubat to become unhealthy, and prolonged exposure can even burn its skin. However, captured and trained Zubat have been recorded as being much more tenacious in the daytime, even when directly exposed to sunbeams._

It was a beautiful, warm day. The first truly warm one since Nurse Isabelle left Cinnabar Island. So to make the most of it, she found a grassy clearing with plenty of sun and shade. There, she released her Pokémon to enjoy the weather with her.

Pidgeotto, her medical bird, immediately took off to soar the cloudless skies with his mighty wings. Wartortle lounged in the shade, generally being busy looking pretty. Ivysaur sought the sunniest spot on the field and laid down to nap there. With the amount of sun he sought, Isabelle wondered whether he was getting ready to evolve. A Venusaur might be a bit unhandily big, but his strength would increase.

After a while, Pidgeotto called out for her, swooping down to get her attention. It appeared he had found something he desperately wished her to see. Glancing at her Pokémon, she decided not to call them back. She did wake Ivysaur and asked Wartortle to come with her. The three of them followed Pidgeotto, two of them grudgingly.

Whatever Pidgeotto found, it wasn't far. The trees thinned as they neared the mountain, making the reason for her bird's insistence clear. A Zubat flew around outside, making his little 'kst'ing sounds. The poor thing seemed to be so confused among the scarce trees, flying back and forth in a frantic manner. What was worse is that his blue skin was turning red-purplish; he was getting a sunburn! Untrained bats could not take sunlight, as this unfortunate one proved.

"Ivy, could you catch it for me with your Vine Whip? Gently, please," Nurse Isabelle asked calmly. Zubat were pretty speedy, so she could be unable to catch it in the way she might have been able to sneak upon a Pidgey or a Spearow. Pidgeotto distracted the Zubat and Ivysaur was able to slip his vines around his tiny body. The Zubat didn't like this one bit, flapping in an even more frantic manner, screeching out.

"Wartortle, gently douse it a little with your water. Let's cool it down," Isabelle ordered, and thankfully, Wartortle obliged. The Zubat cooled down a little, both literally and figuratively, when he was soaked. Then Isabelle took the miserable bat from Ivysaur, folded his wings around him, and cradled him against her body. Helpful Pidgeotto had already guessed what she was going to do and located the entrance to the cave in the mountain.

As Isabelle entered the cave with the Zubat in her arms, she noticed that many Zubat were hovering near the entrance. Quite a lot of them accompanied her as Isabelle walked inside, bring their kin home. It was a beautiful moment, to have an honour guard of Zubat.


	42. 042 Golbat

**#042 Golbat**

 _Golbat, the Bat Pokémon. The evolved form of Zubat. It feeds on the blood of both Pokémon and humans, and is capable of drinking over 10 ounces (300 mL) of blood in one sitting. Golbat drinks so much blood, that its blood type will change to that of its victim following a feed. It is also gluttonous, occasionally gorging itself to the extent that it becomes too heavy to fly. Golbat is nocturnal, and can be found quite easily in caves._

For the nurses with a bigger ambition than simply being a Pokécentre nurse, extra degrees were made available. In the way Nurse Isabelle became something similar to a field medic, some of her colleagues had specialized in Pokémon psychology or therapy. Today, Isabelle stayed at a Pokémon centre where a Joy worked with a degree in echolocation. Echolocation was the practice of using supersonic waves to inspect the insides of a Pokémon without having to perform surgery, using Zubat. Isabelle didn't understand much of it, but judging from the fact people travelled from all over Kanto to get treatment, both humans and Pokémon, it must work well.

In order to pass on the knowledge, the Joy with the Zubat was currently training some other nurses. From the ten nurses that started, only six were still taking classes. Some dropped out because they found it boring or too hard, others were forced to quit because their grades weren't satisfactory. Isabelle felt a bit bad for them, but getting her own degree and official permission to be a travelling nurse had been just as tough.

Sitting in the back of the class, watching the echoscopy Joy teach, Izzy recognised her as one of her classmates. After class, they'd have to catch up. Isabelle had Pidgeotto on her lap and was stroking the bird casually as she listened to the lecture. Joy had a Butterfree out, who could also learn Supersonic. However, as she demonstrated, it wasn't as powerful as Zubat's Supersonic and vital injuries could be missed because of this. She showed on her computer that not the full picture of Jigglypuff on the table could be seen.

Suddenly one of the girls stood up. She pulled a Pokéball from her bag and summoned forth a Pokémon. When the light subsided, a Golbat was flying around in the classroom. Isabelle shuddered. There was something about that Poisonous, blood-sucking bat that freaked her out.

"I'm sure Golbat is strong enough! We'll be able to see even more!" The girl seemed so excited about her idea. However, the Joy teaching wasn't so thrilled.

"Megan, no! Don't –"

"Golbat! Supersonic!" Megan ordered, pointing dramatically at the Jigglypuff.

Then, there was complete pandemonium. Golbat's Supersonic was too powerful for the laptop, causing it to explode loudly, startling all occupants of the classroom, including Isabelle and Pidgeotto. The Supersonic hit the Jigglypuff who, with this added dose, became completely confused. Startled and confused, she became entirely frightened and started crying so loudly everyone had to cover their ears. The fire from the blasted laptop caused the sprinklers to go off, so everyone got wet, too.

Needless to say, for such reckless behaviour, Megan was asked to leave the premises and return next year if she still wished to become specialised in ultrasound.

Far away from all this chaos, Ivysaur and Wartortle were walking around the Pokémon centre. Isabelle had tied a white bow around Ivy's and Wartortle's neck to indicate they are already with a trainer.

In the lobby, a trainer sat with her Pokémon. While Ivysaur struck a conversation with the Vulpix, Wartortle inspected the trainer. She was a gorgeous, elegant lady. Her hair was the colour of Vulpix's coat and curled in a similar manner. She wore a black cocktail dress and black, suede pumps. Her Vulpix looked just as beautiful. Healthy, well-mannered, poised, and perfectly groomed. Ivysaur saw Wartortle looking longingly at the duo and ran off to get Izzy.

When Isabelle came into the lobby, soaking wet with a towel around her shoulders, she found her Wartortle on the lady's lap. The bow had been discarded, laying uselessly on the ground. The lady was polishing Wartortle's shell with an expensive looking wax. Bitterly, Isabelle looked at the wealthy lady. While she looked so perfect, Isabelle looked rather ragged; she was wet, her hair was messy, her shoes a bit muddy, and her clothing of mere cotton. Still, Isabelle straightened her back and approached the lady with a smile.

"Hey there. Your Vulpix looks gorgeous, but I do believe that's my Wartortle,"

The woman in black did not look up, keeping on grooming Izzy's Water-type.

"Ehm, excuse me?" Isabelle tried again.

"I heard you the first time. How could you possibly let your Wartortle get so filthy?"

Insulted, Isabelle frowned at her.

"I take good care of my Pokémon. I just travel a lot and they do get a little dirty from that, but I groom them regularly."

"Well, you're doing a lousy job. Pokémon can be so much prettier when you spend enough time and money on them." Something about the way this lady spoke annoyed Isabelle to no end.

"That may be your opinion, but my job does not allow that. Wartortle, come." To Isabelle's utter surprise and astonishment, Wartortle shook her head and turned her shield on her. "Wartortle!" Isabelle exclaimed, indignant as the lady laughed at her. With her cheeks coloured with shame, Isabelle recalled Wartortle to her ball, from which she could not exclaim. Followed by snide remarks on how she supposedly raises her Pokémon, Isabelle stomped off, followed by abashed-looking Pidgeotto and Ivysaur.


	43. 043 Oddish

**#043 Oddish**

 _Oddish, the Weed Pokémon. Known by the scientific name Oddium Wanderus, Oddish lives in grasslands. A nocturnal Pokémon, Oddish buries its sensitive body in the ground during the day to avoid the sun and fool predators. If its leaves are pulled in this state, it will respond by shrieking horribly. It starts to move when its leaves begin absorbing moonlight, which it uses to grow. Oddish will wander up to 1000 feet (300 meters) during the night to scatter its seeds and find a nutrient-rich patch of soil in which to plant itself. The more fertile the earth, the glossier its leaves will be. It is thought that its feet become like tree roots while planted._

On a gorgeous autumn day, Isabelle and the other aspirant nurses were chattering excitedly in the few minutes they had before their class would start as they pulled on their gloves and wrapped their scarves around their necks since they would be working outside.

Wearing a warm, woollen sweater with Butterfree on them, Isabelle was one of the first to be outside. She observed their assignment as the leaves wiggled above the ground. It'd be winter soon, and the Oddish needed to be put into pots inside or else they'd freeze to death. Grass types didn't like ice much. While some of the girls, childishly, pulled up their noses at having to dig in the soil, Isabelle was actually rather pleased with the task. She liked Oddish. Their little squeaks and optimism never ceased to make her smile.

Inside, in the greenhouse, lots of flower pots were on the ground, in which the Oddish would have to be placed. The objective was simple, the elderly Joy said; pull up an Oddish by its leaves, gently, carry it inside, place it in a pot, and cover it with the fertilised soil from the bags. The girls were warned that the Oddish did not like being pulled up since the earth was warm and the outside air was rather chilly.

As Isabelle knelt down near the foliage, she smiled at Wendy Foxglove who immediately chose the wiggling leaves next to Izzy's. The girl's chubby cheeks and nose were pinkish with cold, but her eyes were glistening like seasonal lights. General Pokémon care was something Wendy excelled at.

At Joy's command, Isabelle gently wrapped her hands around what she hoped were Oddish's leaves. It'd be rather embarrassing to pull up carrots or something similar. Next to her, Wendy did not pull hard enough and did not manage to extract the Weed Pokémon from the ground. Isabelle was a bit firmer in her handling and soon she held a squealing, blue Pokémon by its leaves in the air. It kicked out its little feet as it screamed its lungs out. Surprised by the sheer volume, Isabelle nearly dropped it, but managed to hold on. Sending Wendy a quick smile, she wrapped her arms around the dirty Pokémon and hurried inside.

Kneeling yet again on the ground, Isabelle placed the Oddish in a large, Raichu-orange pot. Holding her left hand on its head, Isabelle scooped handfuls of soil into the pot to subdue it. Only when its head was no longer visible, it finally stopped squealing. Sighing in relief, Isabelle wiped her forehead and flashed a grin at the Joy that was grading them, receiving a kind smile and nod in return.

As Isabelle had been covering her Oddish, Wendy came in with her own. This one was particularly big, explaining why Wendy had trouble pulling it out and had a low, throaty cry, like an adult man's. Since Wendy would be okay, Isabelle stood in the door opening to the greenhouse to watch how her classmates were doing.

One of her classmates was messing up pretty badly. How it happened, Izzy did not know, but she had been bitten by the toothless Oddish, dropped it, and was now chasing it all over the yard. Oddish were pretty fast, or at least, this one was. Along with the other girls, Isabelle laughed as she saw the flustered young Joy run after a frantically screaming Oddish.

These were the kind of memories Isabelle had of her time at the Nursing School.


	44. 044 Gloom

**#044 Gloom**

 _Gloom, the Weed Pokémon. The evolved form of Oddish. It trickles sticky nectar from its mouth with the appearance and consistency of drool. This can be used as a fertilizer for plants. Both this nectar and the flower on Gloom's head release a foul odour strong enough to induce fainting in humans over a mile away. However, it can also attract prey, and even a very small number of humans find it pleasing. This odour is a key ingredient for some perfume production. When it is in danger, the odour worsens, but it will not emit its odour if it feels safe. Gloom lives in grassy plains._

In a world so focussed around Pokémon, special accommodations are made for them. The most commonly known institute is the Pokémon centre, but there are also Pokémon spas, Pokémon hotels, and even Pokémon playgrounds. It's at one such playground that Isabelle finds herself. On benches all around, the trainers are sitting, bragging about their Pokémon while they play on slides and monkey bars.

Approaching the playground, Isabelle saw that while most trainers looked pleased, one did not. A girl stood a bit away from the others, keeping her distance from a Gloom that stood near her. As Izzy approached, she saw that the girl was about fifteen years old and the Gloom obviously belonged to her from the way it was staring at the dark-haired girl.

"Hey there," Isabelle greeted kindly. The girl merely gave her a quick smile and looked away again, not looking at her Gloom.

Said Gloom emitted a rather strong odour, which worried Isabelle a little. Gloom only smelled like this when not feeling safe or when being upset because of sickness for example.

"Hey, your Gloom smells a little. What's wrong with it? Is it scared of the other Pokémon?" Isabelle nudged her head to the playground where a Sandshrew was just sliding down the slide with a delighted squee. The girl shook her head.

"The other Pokémon don't want to play with her. She stinks," The girl said, bitterly.

Isabelle rose to her full height, crossed her arms over her chest, and frowned. Instead of attacking her outright, Izzy held back.

"Can you tell me about yourself and your Gloom."

With an exasperated sigh, the girl sat down on a stone bench and stared at the adorable Charmander stumbling around in the sand.

"I'm Rebecca. I used to have an Oddish, who was the cutest ever. She was so playful and affectionate. Everyone loved her. But then she evolved into this," Rebecca said it with a sneer on her face, which made her look rather ugly. Gloom flinched as well, hiding herself behind her hands with the logic that if she couldn't see, she couldn't be seen.

"What kind of awful trainer are you?" Isabelle demanded to know in a harsh tone. The girl looked up, startled at the angry nurse. "This Gloom is still your affectionate Oddish, you know? Their personalities don't always change when their bodies do. Gloom is upset because you don't love her anymore. This much is clear. If you show Gloom the love you showed Oddish, she'll even smell nice."

Rebecca stared at Isabelle dumbstruck. Then, after a minute of staring at each other, the dark haired girl turned around and faced Gloom. Hesitantly, she opened her arms as an invite to a hug. After an unsure glance at Izzy which was received with a reassuring nod, Gloom rushed forward into the hug, exclaiming excitedly. As the two hugged, the stench faded away. Gloom did not smell as nice as Izzy's Ivysaur just yet, but they were getting there.

"Don't judge a Pokémon on its looks or scent. Gloom loves you very much, Rebecca." And with that, Isabelle left them alone.


	45. 045 Vileplume

**#045 Vileplume**

 _Vileplume, the Flower Pokémon. The evolved form of Gloom and the final evolution of Oddish. Vileplume's flower is said to have the largest petals in the world, and is almost too heavy for the Pokémon itself to support. It can shake, flap, or burst its petals into bloom with a bang in order to release clouds of pollen. This pollen is highly allergenic to humans and toxic to other Pokémon; Vileplume uses it to paralyze its prey. Vileplume lives in grassy plains, where it is often mistaken for native flowers._

Back in her hometown of Celadon City, Nurse Isabelle was doing some shopping for herself. She'd already bought a new shirt and a new pair of trousers, and was currently in a perfume shop. The wonderful fragrances that had enticed her inside also made Izzy contemplate buying one. It'd been a while since she'd bought herself a gift. As she was inspecting the bottles, she saw that the scents came from Pokémon. One she especially liked was made of a Vileplume; one she knew well. It was Celadon City's Gym Leader Erika's Vileplume.

Seeing the name Erika made her stomach leap. Having grown up here, she and Erika had been close friends, since their mothers had done a lot of business together when they were younger. Wasting no time, Isabelle put the bottle back on the shelf and hurried out of the shop to rush to Celadon Gym.

One of the advantages of being a nurse was that no one stopped one when they saw one running. People assumed it was an emergency. So when Isabelle ran towards the entrance of Celadon Gym, the ladies that were the gym trainers immediately opened the door for her to allow her in. Isabelle couldn't be bothered to stop and explain. She just wished to see her good friend.

In the middle of the garden, near a gorgeous pond, a young lady sat in traditional eastern garments. Next to her, sitting on the ground with her petals on the lady's lap, sat a Vileplume.

"Your Oddish sure grew up, Eri," Isabelle said, grinning as she placed her hands on her hips. The black haired lady looked up, startled at first but then ecstatic.

"Izzy! Oh my goodness, is it actually you?" Her voice, ever soft, was like music to Isabelle's ears. The girls embraced and then sat down on the stone bench Erika had been sitting on. Because this was a gorgeous garden, Izzy let loose her own Pokémon. Pigeotto could fly around, Wartortle enjoyed the pure water of the pond, and Ivysaur napped in the shade, enjoying the scent of an actual garden for once.

"So, you took over as Gym Leader now, hm?" Isabelle asked. "How's your mother?" Erika nodded.

"She's well. At home, taking care of Pokémon that get injured in the battles here. Instead of leaving them at the Pokémon centre, they get nursed back to health at her place. Your mom goes there regularly, too." Isabelle chuckled and nodded.

"Yes, that does sound like Mom. At the lack of grandchildren, she fully focussed her doting attention on Pokémon."

"So, what do you do now? What is this clothing?"

"I'm a Pokémon nurse now. I travel around Kanto to take care of injured or sick wild Pokémon, or do house calls." Isabelle showed her badge proudly. Erika seemed impressed with her childhood friend. "Anyway, I was at a perfume store and found a bottle of Vileplume perfume. I recognised this beauty here," Izzy stroked the petals of the Vileplume sitting near them, who turned all bashful. "… and I immediately made my way over here. I had to see you. I forgot all about that perfume, though. What a shame, and it smelled so nice." Isabelle rubbed the back of her head sheepishly.

"Oh, I know something to remedy that! I have a few experimental bottles around here. If you like any of those, they're my gift to you, as long as you check out my Pokémon from time to time."

"Deal," Izzy said with a grin.


	46. 046 Paras

**#046 Paras**

 _Paras, the Mushroom Pokémon. Red-and-yellow mushrooms known as tochukaso grow on this Pokémon's back. The mushrooms can be removed at any time, and grow from spores that are doused on this Pokémon's back at birth by the mushroom on its mother's back. Tochukaso are parasitic in nature, drawing their nutrients from the host Paras's body in order to grow and exerting some command over the Pokémon's actions. For example, Paras drains nutrients from tree roots due to commands from the mushrooms. The mushrooms are also popular among collectors and have medicinal uses, usually involving extended life. It is shown that Paras can often be found in caves. However, it can also thrive in damp forests with high amounts of humidity where conditions are ideal for fungi._

Despite trying to, Nurse Isabelle is unable to sleep in the Pokémon centre every night. Tonight was such a case. In a tiny village whose name she did not know, Izzy knocked on the door of a house in a calm and quiet street. A hand-painted sign told people that this was a 'Bed and Breakfast', which was basically a place to spend the night, grab some breakfast and be on your way again. With so many kids trying to become a Pokémon master, these businesses popped up everywhere.

An old lady opened the door. It was the kind of elderly woman that had obviously raised quite a few children and hadn't been able to quell the desire to take care of others. While some adopted Pokémon, others did something like this. Isabelle bowed her head respectfully.

"Good evening, ma'am. Is it true you provide bed and breakfast services? My Pokémon and I are weary from travel," The smile on the lady's face caused the corners of Izzy's mouth the curl up as well.

"Oh yes! Please, come in! We even have some supper left, if you're hungry." The lady spied the badges on her backpack and the official badge on her hip. "A Pokémon nurse? A genuine one? Oh my goodness." The woman looked absolutely ecstatic. She turned around as if preparing to call for someone, only to deflate a little when she assumedly realised there was no one to call for.

"I assure you, my Pokémon are very well behaved. They'd sleep so much better if I could let them out of their balls. Is that okay with you, ma'am?" Isabelle asked as she headed inside, accepting the offer of supper. It was obvious the woman was lonely, so Izzy would do her best to make this a good evening for her.

"Oh, please, let them out. It's been so long since I heard their little paws over the ground. They're little, right? My house can't take a Charizard or Fearow." Isabelle smiled and assured her they weren't as big as those. Opening their balls, she introduced the lady to Ivysaur, Wartortle, and Pidgeotto.

As they all ate supper in the lady's kitchen, listening to Ma'am Umberta's life story, Izzy noticed Wartortle did not look at her. Like a sulking child, she ate her food silently and then inched away from her teammates, who were chattering lively. The lady spoiled them by offering them homemade Pokémon food.

"So, tomorrow is our annual festival, and we'd be so honoured if a genuine Pokémon nurse could be there! There will be a competition and if you could be in the jury, everyone would accept the results." Madame Umberta suddenly said, in an excited manner. "Unlike last time," she muttered, which was probably not meant for Izzy's ears.

Isabelle smiled, a bit uncomfortably. "If I could repay you for your kindness by evaluating Pokémon well-being, then it'd be my pleasure."

Unfortunately for Izzy, those were quite some famous last words. The over-excitement of the villagers made her uncomfortable, and by the time she was placed in a seat of honour at the jury table, she already had a migraine and wished she could just leave. But the horrors of the day had not ended yet. The competition still had to start.

"Welcome, townspeople and honoured lady Nurse, to the annual Paras competition!" The ringleader announced, causing Izzy to pale a little. Paras? Hundreds of Paras to inspect?

And yes, indeed. Hundreds of Paras. This one had slightly bigger mushrooms than the other, the other one had glossier eyes – which only meant it wasn't as possessed yet – and yet another one had a gentler voice. Paras in all sizes, scuffling over the stage. It was torment. It was torture!

By the time the sun set, Isabelle was relieved when she hung a medal around the winning Paras's mushrooms. She declined all offers of staying another night at the town, proclaiming to have important work to do, and left with her backpack as soon as she could. She'd rather sleep out in the open than another night in Paras town.


	47. 047 Parasect

**#047 Parasect**

 _Parasect, the Mushroom Pokémon. The evolved form of Paras. The insect has been drained of nutrients and is now under the control of the fully-grown tochukaso. Parasect can thrive in dank forests with a suitable amount of humidity for growing fungi. Swarms of this Pokémon have been known to infest trees. The swarm will drain the tree of nutrients until it dies, and will then move on to a new tree._

With her legs crossed, Nurse Isabelle leant against a mossy, stone wall. She'd been dragging her feet a little all day, feeling somewhat off, when she discovered these two children in the back garden, clearly about to hold a Pokémon match. When Isabelle asked if she were allowed to join, they had run to their mother, who had been absolutely pleased to see her. So, supplied with a jug of lemonade and a platter of sandwiches, Isabelle rested up here during the kids' match.

The two children that had attracted her attention were obviously twins. They even dressed perfectly similarly, aside from colour scheme. One was in a Rattata purple dress, and the other in a Paras red dress. When they summoned forth their Pokémon, Isabelle sighed, smiling softly. Just as she had expected, they owned a Rattata and a Paras. Weak, common Pokémon for young kids wasn't such a bad idea.

Maybe the mother had a say in it, but the Pokémon looked pretty well taken care of, in the way the mother had taken care of Izzy. The Rattata was on normal weight, which was a refreshing sight to see, after all those thin, wild Rattata. The Paras was okay, she guessed. She did not really look at it. There wasn't anything glaringly wrong with it, at least.

"This is the battle between Em and Cee. Em has chosen a Rattata. Cee will be fighting with Paras. No time limit. Begin!" Izzy announced it for them, making her smile in glee. It felt exciting to say it. As the girls set their Pokémon to each other, Isabelle thought about what their mother had said to Izzy earlier when she was given all this food.

"They've been trying so hard to make them evolve. All the kids in their class have an evolved Pokémon. So they've been training all day and night. Can you make these Pokémon evolve?" When Isabelle had shook her head and explained that Pokémon evolve at their own time, the mother had sighed. Isabelle had been able to suggest battle experience usually helped.

So that's why the girls were having a Pokémon battle right now. It was clear Rattata-Em was the oldest of the two. She seemed more self-assured, though a bit hasty, as she ordered her Rattata to Bite. However, Cee's Paras was a tricky one. It was quite speedy, making it hard to hit. Cee seemed to be the calmer one, who observes first and then makes a move, such as when she ordered Paras to use Stun Spore. It hit the Rattata full in its face and it crashed to the ground.

"Rattata is defeated. Paras is the winner. The round goes to Cee!" But no one was listening to Isabelle anymore, because Paras had lit up with a bright light. By now, Isabelle had seen this often enough so she was the only one who didn't stare open-mouthed at the morphing Paras. When it was finished, Isabelle dryly corrected. "Parasect is the winner. The round goes to Cee."

While Parasect were actually rather creepy once you knew that the mushroom has fully taken over Paras' body and that they were basically undead now, Cee did not seem to care. With a delighted squeal, she flung her arms around Parasect's mushroom, and bragged a little to Em, who seemed to be happy for her younger twin sister. Smiling softly, Isabelle brought the jug and the platter back to their mother and said her goodbyes, not wishing to disturb the two who seem to have forgotten all about Izzy.


	48. 048 Venonat

**#048 Venonat**

 _Venonat, the Insect Pokémon. Venonat can be found in dense forests, where it will sleep in the hole of a tree until nightfall. It sleeps throughout the day because the small insects it feeds on appear only at night. Both Venonat and its prey are attracted to bright lights._

While the business of daytime inspired her to work even harder, Nurse Isabelle preferred night time. She loved the colour of the midnight sky, which was such a deep blue it appeared almost black. Yet the darkness never seemed scary. The pavements, which were always so full with people and Pokémon were now entirely empty, lit by street lights. The world felt so much bigger, yet small within the small, illuminated area.

While most Pokémon have gone to sleep, some others had woken up. Oddish, for example, were now trotting around on their little root-like feet, looking for fresher and better soil to nestle in before morning. Some Pidgey were roosting in the trees overhanging the stone path. This is how she preferred to see Pokémon. All calm in their natural habitat. Not forced to battle by selfish, eager kids, or used for who knows what.

The night wasn't entirely silent, though. Police sirens rang faraway. One of those sirens was coming closer, and soon the source of the sound was visible as well. A figure in blue on a motorcycle. The silhouette of Officer Jenny was unmistakable, even at night.

"Halt! Do you have any idea what time it is? Where are your – oh, hello, Nurse." Jenny commanded at first, only to soften her voice when she finally recognised who she had in front of her.

"Good evening, Officer. As you can see, I am no child up past my bedtime. But what's the hurry, and who have you got with you?" All Isabelle could see was something hairy with antennas on Jenny's bike.

"This is Venonat. He's helping me track down some Pokémon poachers and thieves."

"Oh goodness. Poachers and thieves? Is there any Pokémon these guys do not steal?"

Jenny sighed and nodded. "Yes. It's a real problem. Call me if you see anything, okay? They might try to get you, too."

Isabelle smiled as she laid her hand on Venonat's head, only to pull it back grimacing to find it covered with poison. "Blegh," she muttered as she pulled a paper tissue from her back pocket to wipe off her hand. It was already tingling a little, so she would have to take some medication to be sure. "I didn't know this thing was Poisonous?"

Jenny shrugged. "Secondary. It's mostly Bug type." Isabelle smiled wryly.

"Well, good luck on your search, and I'll call you if I see anything." After that, Isabelle continued walking down the pavement, rubbing her hand which was becoming increasingly numb. "Bloody buggers. And it was such a beautiful night." Looks like Isabelle would have to end her day with an antidote. Not entirely how she planned on finishing her midnight stroll.


	49. 049 Venomoth

**#049 Venomoth**

 _Venomoth, the Poison Moth Pokémon. The evolved form of Venonat. Venomoth live in dense forests with much undergrowth and little light. As a nocturnal Pokémon, Venomoth comes out at night to hunt of its favorite prey. It prefers to feed on insects that gather around light, and Venomoth is attracted to bright lights itself.._

Despite the antidote last night, Nurse Isabelle slept poorly. Her hand had tingled deep into the night because of Venonat's poison, which caused terrible dreams about that stupid Ekans again, only it was bigger than an Arbok this time. Before dawn, Isabelle decided she was unable to sleep anymore and got out of bed. Her Pokémon were deeply asleep, so Isabelle headed over to the cafeteria of the Pokémon centre she was staying at to have breakfast with the Joy on morning shift.

Saffron Joy, or at least this one, was a peculiar one. The other Joys called her 'Gothic Joy' behind her back. She had dyed her hair Rattata-purple, wearing it in all kinds of punky fashions that the conservative Joys would never do. Today, she'd braided the left half of it into a faux Mohawk. Her clothing also lacked the pink elements. Instead, they were Ekans-purple. On her feet were high, belted boots. Isabelle thought she looked cool, and always complimented her on her looks. After all, she tried to be her own person, instead of yet another Joy.

Instead of sitting properly upright, both nurses laid languidly on the booths, cradling a cup of tea in their hands. The scent calmed Izzy down some. While they had chatted animatedly during breakfast, now they only listened to the mostly silent Pokécentre.

Until, suddenly, a massive, purple moth descended on the table in between them. The Joy sat up, nearly knocking over her tea.

"I know that Venomoth! Isn't that Sabrina's?"

Isabelle merely shrugged a little; she was exhausted and didn't really care whose Venomoth it was. It was obviously in good health and after Izzy's encounter with the Venonat, she didn't hold a lot of love for the evolved form, either.

"Oh, come on, Izz. It's got a note, with your name on it," Joy encouraged her. Raising an eyebrow, Isabelle sat up, slower than Saffron Joy had done, and took the envelope Joy held out.

 _"Wandering Nurse Isabelle,_

 _Welcome to Saffron City. My name is Sabrina, and I am the Gymleader here. We, the Saffron Gym, have foreseen your coming to Saffron. We've heard and seen a lot of your reputation as travelling nurse and we'd like to invite you over to the Saffron Gym the next time you're in town._

 _Be careful of the man with the Nidoking and Nidoqueen. He's dangerous._

 _-Sabrina"_

To Isabelle's surprise, Gothic Joy burst out laughing.

"Oh, that's just like her. I love that lady. Do tell me you'll come back soon. I want to hear all about your visit there! I'm so jealous; I wish I could go."

On the back of the note, Isabelle wrote her reply that she'd be back soon and would visit then. The Venomoth took the note and flew off.

"I still don't like that Pokémon…" Isabelle muttered.


	50. 050 Diglett

**#050 Diglett**

 _Diglett, the Mole Pokémon. It spends much of its time underground, and has very thin skin. If Diglett is exposed to sunlight, its blood will heat up and cause it to grow weak._

 _Diglett digs regularly through the earth at a shallow depth, leaving perfectly tilled soil in its wake. Diglett lives in tunnels and caves under the earth, where it feeds on tree roots. It also sometimes lives in burrows near forests, and has even been shown to live inside of trees._

Nurse Isabelle had been in Vermillion City's Pokémon centre when the earthquake hit during the night. Such events were rather rare, so it should be no surprise everyone in the town was alarmed. Helping the Joys on duty, Isabelle spent a while, long before dawn, soothing panicked residents. Just around dawn, Isabelle managed to lay down for a while and sleep an hour or two before she was called by Officer Jenny. There had been collapses in Diglett's cave. Izzy was asked to join a Ranger and make their way through the cave to look for any injured Pokémon, since earthquakes were disastrous for digging Pokémon.

Awfully sleepy, Isabelle made her way to the entrance of the cave, yawning. In front of the cave stood a man she was actually acquainted with. Despite her exhaustion, she smiled at him.

"Good morning, Dominic," she said. He turned at the sound of her voice, smiled brightly at him as if he'd slept perfectly fine, and surprised her by giving her a quick hug.

"Hey there, Isabelle. So you're the nurse I've been assigned to? Can't say I'm disappointed, working with you over one of those identical Joys." Wearing a white t-shirt, Isabelle could finally see he was decently muscled from his work as a Ranger. His arms were nicely sculpted, but she didn't have much time to inspect them.

With a hard hat to protect them from falling rocks, the two descended into the cave. While Dom kept an eye out on where to walk and where not, because of collapsed tunnels and all, Isabelle checked on the Diglett around. None of them seem to be injured, just shaken and a bit agitated. However, they'd settle soon when the earth would no longer tremble with aftershocks. Steady as the earth itself, those Ground-types were.

Because of the earthquake, many Diglett had stuck their little heads out of the ground to see what's going on, making it incredibly hard to walk through the cave. Izzy desperately wished to avoid stepping on one of those little moles, whose chanting made her smile.

With a lot of 'digladee digladee' on the background, Isabelle looked over to smile at Dominic. He seemed so cool and in control, always looking out for her as he tried to avoid her tripping or getting hurt. It was touching.

Way too soon, they reached the other end of the cave, where they had to say goodbye. Isabelle had to call in her findings at the Pewter Pokémon centre, and Dom was needed elsewhere. Shaking each other's hands, they said their goodbyes. Isabelle watched him leave with a strange feeling in her stomach. She'd miss his presence, even though they didn't talk much in the cave.


	51. 051 Dugtrio

**#051 Dugtrio**

 _Dugtrio, the Mole Pokémon. The evolved form of Diglett. Dugtrio's three heads think the same thoughts and act cooperatively. In order to make burrowing easier, each head will bob up and down to loosen the soil. Dugtrio can tunnel under the earth at 60 mph (100 km/h) to a depth of 60 miles (100 km), triggering tremors and earthquakes. It is capable of burrowing endlessly. Dugtrio lives in tunnels and caves under the earth. It sometimes lives in hollow trees in forests. It maintains the soil and plants trees to revitalize wooded areas._

Wearing her Squirtle raincoat, Nurse Isabelle slowly walked over the empty streets of Viridian City. It truly was pouring, but the water was warm from the pleasant weather the last days, so it wasn't bad at all. Truth was, she was dragging her heels a little, having an appointment at Viridian Gym with that scary Giovanni, to check out his Pokémon. There was something unsettling about him, and it wasn't his posse of bodyguards, though those didn't help one bit.

It truly was a gorgeous building. Compared to the tacky decorating of Vermillion Gym, this one was of an entire different class. Massive marble columns made the building look incredibly elegant. Like most gyms, it had a high ceiling, Isabelle noticed as she entered Viridian Gym. Her looking around was stopped when two neckless goons stopped her, demanding her reason of entry. Isabelle showed her medical badge and said she had an appointment with the Gym to inspect the health of the Pokémon. Faced with authority like her, the goons immediately straightened up and went to get someone to escort her in. Isabelle merely rolled her eyes. Goodness forbid she walked around alone in a gym. Would almost make a girl wonder what they had to hide.

Her wet sneakers made squeaky noises on the marble floor as she followed a man in a suit without the jacket towards where presumably the Pokémon were kept. Her coat had been hung near the door, where the goons were. She hoped they liked Squirtle.

They appeared to be somewhere west of the main field, judging from the occasional glances Isabelle managed to get of it. They went through two double doors in a place that did smell vaguely of Pokémon. The first homely sense Isabelle got from this place. However, that seemed to be the only trace. In the place they've entered were lots and lots of cages. The ceiling was lower here, but still about twice as high as Izzy was. The bars reached all the way to the ceiling, only broken by a large, padlocked gate door.

Seeing her surprise, the man explained this is where the Pokémon were kept in between training and matches. It was too much to keep calling them back to their Pokéballs. As Isabelle approached the familiar Nidoking in the cage closest to her, the man behind her told her how often these were fed, what they ate, and when and how long they exercised. Theoretically, there was nothing wrong with their regime, and so she thanked the man for his time and explanation. However, as she looked at the Nidoking in his cage, she felt her heart break for him. She extended her hand out through the bars and smiled weakly when the Nidoking laid his snout against it. What about love? Who gave these Pokémon some love?

The Nidoqueen nearby was in a similar state. Physically she was pristine, yet her eyes were dull. There was nothing of that spark of life Isabelle had seen of the Nidoqueen back in the woods, with the Nidoran and Nidorina. A bit further ahead was a Dugtrio. The trainer explained something about the concrete being lower so that they basically had a bit of a dirt pit to reside in. Kneeling in front of the cage, Isabelle looked at the Mole Pokémon. Dugtrio were a little hard to read, Isabelle found, just like Diglett. Emotions were hard to see in them, aside from physical pain, which was usually clear in their eyes.

Declaring all these perfectly healthy and taken care of, Isabelle inquired after the other Pokémon. The answer she received was a bit vague. Unavailable, the man in suit had said. For a moment, Isabelle contemplated demanding to see them. What if they were held back because they were in less of a good state? They were Pokémon, and Pokémon were her duty. So, she told the trainer she'd like to see every Pokémon that was in this gym. He surprised her by bowing and walking away.

Hovering around Nidoking's cage, Isabelle waited with crossed arms for whatever was going to happen. The doors opened, causing Izzy to stand upright again to face the trainer coming back. However, it wasn't him. Giovanni himself came striding in, in his impeccable suit and his awful mood. The most frightening part about his mood was that it wasn't to be read on his face. His face was calm. It was his aura that was stormy. A bit insecure, Isabelle took a step back when he came thundering towards her. Her back hit a wall, preventing her from escaping. His right hand slammed into the stone just next to her head, causing her to flinch.

"Who do you think you are, missy? Demanding to see my Pokémon, as if I'd hide them from a little girl like you?" He hissed near her ear. Izzy was frozen with fear. All words that had been on the tip of her tongue about treating his Pokémon in a more humane manner had been entirely forgotten. All she could do was glare at him. That was the only feature of her anger that was still available.

"If I catch you snooping around, looking for my other Pokémon, I'll make sure it's the last thing you do. Understood?" Isabelle nodded frantically, hoping he could not hear her heart pounding in her chest. "Good." He pushed off the wall and walked away without even sparing her one more glance. Utterly relieved, Isabelle sank to the floor, taking a moment to calm down before getting out of here as fast as she could.


	52. 052 Meowth

**#052 Meowth**

 _Meowth, the Scratch Cat Pokémon. Meowth is attracted to round and shiny objects, and has the unique ability to produce coins using Pay Day. It is known to wander about city streets and pick up anything that sparkles, including loose change. Upon finding a sparkling object, its eyes will glitter and the coin on its forehead will shine brightly. Meowth is a playful Pokémon with the capacity for human-like intelligence, with at least one member of the species teaching itself how to speak. Meowth tends to live in urban areas._

To earn some money to live on, Nurse Isabelle occasionally worked in a Pokémon centre whenever there was one in town. Having done the morning shift, Isabelle walked through town as she reflected back on the Pokémon she treated today. One was particularly worrying since it showed no sign of progress. Its problems didn't appear to be physical, so Isabelle had no idea how to treat it.

Somehow, Isabelle had managed to walk into a street filled with Pokémon fashion boutiques. In one of these, which looked far less flashy than the other ones, a lady with long, green hair sat talking to her Vulpix. Intrigued, Isabelle entered.

The shop looked clean and even smelled pleasantly like flowers. Isabelle seemed to be the only customer at the moment, so she knelt in front of the pedestal where Vulpix sat and admired her shiny coat.

"She looks so gorgeous, but she doesn't look like you used any curlers or anything. How did you get your Vulpix this way?" Isabelle asked the green-haired lady, who stood nearby.

"With lots of care and love. I believe the Pokémon's inner beauty can shine through. I'm Suzy, by the way, and this is my Vulpix."

Isabelle shook her hand. "I'm Isabelle, a Pokémon nurse." She thought for a moment. "Could you help me? I have a bit of trouble with a Pokémon of mine. She seems upset these days, yet it has no physical cause. Maybe she's just stressed. Could you help me? Since you're a massager, after all."

"Of course. I'd love to help nurses. You don't need to pay. Consider this my tribute of appreciation of what you do for Pokémon."

Isabelle summoned Wartortle. "This is her. Wartortle is keen on hygiene and loves to keep her beautiful tail groomed."

While Suzy brushed Wartortle's tail, groomed her shell, and massaged her paws some, Isabelle sat in a sofa nearby, watching them. For once, Wartortle looked absolutely happy, the happiest she'd seen her Water-type since she caught it. It made her sad.

"So, you're able to make Pokémon feel better by massaging them?" When Suzy affirmed that, Isabelle continued: "I've got a depressed Pokémon at the centre, and we're unsure how to treat it. It's physically okay. Well, it's a stray, so it looks a bit rough, but there's nothing we can do for it at the centre. Could you take a look at it? I can bring it if you want. Wartortle could use the relaxation."

Upon Suzy's agreement to take a look at it, Isabelle rushed to the Pokémon centre to pick up the Pokémon, briefly explaining to the afternoon shift Joy what she was going to do. Since the Joy didn't seem to care much what she did, Isabelle gathered the Pokémon in her arms and carefully walked out.

The Meowth did not respond much. She just curled up in a ball against her chest, mewling occasionally as if in pain, but extended tests could not find the source.

Coming back to Suzy's salon, Wartortle's treatment was done. Her shell was all shiny now and she was chatting animatedly with Vulpix. Wartortle makes some strange friends, type-wise. First an Electric type, Dom's Raichu; and now a Fire type, this Vulpix.

While those two entertained each other, Suzy and Izzy worked together to wash, trim, and massage the Meowth. At first, she wasn't too keen on the bath, but she seemed to love the brushing and the massaging, causing her to purr adorably. The amount of attention and love the two ladies gave the feline seemed to revive the lacklustre Meowth. Within an hour, it was as good as new, maybe even better.

Their work had not gone unnoticed. A well-dressed lady stood in the salon, holding a Vulpix in a leash with a diamond collar. As Isabelle made eye contact with the lady, both recognised the other. "You."

"Oh, it's you. I see you took my advice and finally washed that filthy Wartortle of yours. See how much better it looks?" The lady said haughtily.

Isabelle had met this lady when she visited a Pokémon centre specialised on echolocation. The event was now known among Izzy and her friends as the Golbat Pandemonium.

Isabelle didn't bother to reply to the lady. She merely crossed her arms over her chest. Yet again, Isabelle looked shabbily. Her trousers were wet from washing, she had cat hair all over her shirt, and some strands of her braid had gotten loose and curled in her flustered face.

"Oh, look at that gorgeous Meowth! I've just got to have her. Is she yours, Suzy dear?"

Suzy shook her head. "It's from the Pokémon centre. Brought in yesterday, alone and starving."

"That's just perfect! My little Vulpix was getting lonely." The lady with the pearl necklace scooped the Meowth up, who was still purring and now rubbed her perfumed head against the lady's chin. "Come on, Vulpix. Let's go adopt this adorable little cat. She'll be your sister!"

Chattering more nonsense like that, the lady left the salon with the Meowth, leaving both Suzy and Izzy slightly confused.

"All right… I suppose that's a happy ending for that Meowth," Suzy offered with a small smile. Isabelle just shook her head, unable to believe in a woman as superficial as the one with the Vulpix and the Meowth.


	53. 053 Persian

**#053 Persian**

 _Persian, the Classy Cat Pokémon. The evolved form of Meowth. Persian normally lives in towns and cities. Although popular for its elegance, it is extremely difficult to raise as a pet due to its fickle and temperamental personality. It will scratch anyone, including its Trainer, with little or no provocation, and has been observed ripping its prey apart for no discernible reason. However, when a Persian is yanked by its whiskers, it becomes temporarily docile for unknown reasons._

"Lady! Lady! Lady Nurse! Please! Lady Nurse!"

Nurse Isabelle Evergreen had been strolling through one of the richer villages around, admiring the gorgeous villas while trying not to be bitter that she could never afford such a house. The silence was interrupted by the voice of what sounded like a young girl, calling out to someone. Turning around, Izzy saw said little girl dash towards her. Crouching on the ground, Isabelle caught her and stabilised her before both of them would fall over.

"You're a nurse, right?" The little girl demanded to know.

"Yes, but…"

"You must come with me! Grandmother's Persian is very, very sick!" The girl looked in absolute panic from the way she shouted and kept tugging on Izzy's trousers, so Isabelle decided to come. Taking big steps, she could easily keep up with the running girl.

"So, what's wrong with Persian?" Isabelle asked, to gain some insight on the situation.

"He's been weak for a long while now, but this morning, he wouldn't get up anymore."

Isabelle made a humming sound in her throat; the situation sounded rather severe.

Grandmother apparently lived in one of the villas nearby. The guards bowed at the little girl, and allowed Isabelle to pass through, too. The butlers escorted them upstairs, where the girl was asked to wait in front of a closed door. 'Lady Nurse' was allowed to enter.

Inside the room, which seemed to be Persian's room judging from the fact toys were everywhere along with cat beds and scratching poles, an elderly lady knelt in front of a long chair on which laid the elegant feline.

As Isabelle approached, the rich lady, who obviously had been crying from the way her eyes were wet and the handkerchief she held, made room for her to approach the cat.

"Oh, poor darling," Isabelle whispered as she took in the normally gorgeous cat.

Persian looked terrible. As Isabelle ran her hand over his body, she could feel the bones of his ribcage. He also seemed to have trouble breathing.

"You do feed Persian right, don't you, ma'am?" Isabelle asked to confirm.

The lady nodded. "Only the best. Fresh fish, steamed meat. But lately, he has not been eating much."

Isabelle hummed again, nodding, and stroked Persian's snout while inspecting his eyes.

"I have good news and bad news for you, ma'am," Isabelle said as she kept stroking the Classy Cat Pokémon. "Persian is not sick. However, he is very old. I don't think he'll live until dawn." Isabelle finally looked at the elderly lady, who had begun to cry silently.

Isabelle stood up and placed her hand on the lady's arm. "Persian has had a great life. His fur might be thinning, but it's still groomed perfectly. Stay with him until the end. You should decide for yourself whether you want your granddaughter to be here, when he passes away."

The woman nodded and knelt again in front of the struggling feline. "Oh, what will I do without my poor Persian? I've had him ever since he was a starved street Meowth."

Isabelle sat down on the other side of the feline. "You could always adopt another one. So many Meowth out there long for love. You rescued this one. He knows how tough it was on the streets. I think he'll like it if you rescue another one. Think of it as his legacy."

Then Isabelle stood up again, watching over Persian sadly. "Keep him warm, and make sure he knows he is loved and will be missed. That's all you can do for him right now." Then Isabelle bowed her head to both the lady and the Persian and left the room.

As she opened the door to go outside, the little girl rushed by her to get inside, rushing to Persian's and Grandmother's side. By the time Isabelle was outside, the girl's wails were clearly audible. Isabelle guessed Persian has passed away, surrounded by those who loved him.


	54. 054 Psyduck

**#054 Psyduck**

 _Psyduck, the Duck Pokémon. Psyduck is constantly stunned by its headache and is unable to think very clearly. It usually stands immobile, trying to calm its headache. However, when its headache becomes too severe, it releases tension in the form of strong psychic powers. The use of these powers produces brain waves identical to those seen in sleepers, and the Pokémon is unable to recall these episodes. Psyduck lives in freshwater lakes and small ponds, but can be seen in rivers in tropical areas._

If looking for a nurse, the most logical place to look is a Pokémon centre. That's where Dominic Whitewater found the golden-haired young lady he had become so fond of. However, the Pokémon she was currently treating was not one he particularly liked.

Nurse Isabelle Evergreen had been doing some chores at the centre she was staying at when a Pokémon was brought in. It was a Psyduck with a severe migraine. It was common for these ducks to have a headache, but this poor little fellow was so confused, he kept walking against the walls and injuring himself.

She was sitting on one of the beds with the Psyduck in her lap when Dom entered the room. The guy was decently good-looking, enough for the Joy in the lobby to let him through when he asked for Isabelle. When Dom saw Izzy, he smiled warmly. Only that smile faltered and turned in a disgusted grimace when he saw she was cradling the whimpering duck in her arms.

"Oh come on. Psyduck are not that bad. Ever handled a Parasect? Those are gross. Not these harmless ducks," Isabelle chided him gently. Dom merely huffed.

"I can't stand them. That look on their faces… It gives me a headache."

Isabelle laughed, hugging the duck closer to her chest. The Psyduck, being entirely dry at the moment, had this soft, downy coat all over its yellow body.

"So. What's wrong with it? How are you treating the little derp?"

Isabelle lightly frowned at him for calling the poor, helpless Psyduck a derp. "Psyduck got a severe migraine. I've given him a sedative to help him sleep it off. However, it works slowly and if I let him walk around, he bumps into stuff. That's how confused he is. So I hold the sweetheart until he falls asleep" When she heard Dom scoff at the endearment, Isabelle grinned.

Dom sat down nearby, and the pair talked quietly for a while. Isabelle held the duck as he was slowly getting drowsy and eventually fell asleep with an unflattering snore that caused Dom to snort. Ignoring that, Isabelle laid the Psyduck down on its bed and left the room with Dom.

As they both walked to the lobby where Isabelle would have to report in, Dom slid his hand in hers, holding it protectively, as if she needed protection from a horde of sleepy Psyduck. Nevertheless, Isabelle didn't mind one bit.

The Joy at the desk in the lobby grinned widely at the two. Isabelle was blushing furiously and glared at the Joy while Dom looked kind of proud to be holding her hand. He refused to let her go, no matter how bashful she may get, and only grinned wickedly at her. When Isabelle gave in, she had to admit it was actually kind of pleasant, once the sensation of Butterfree in the stomach was ignored.

Dom treated her to coffee and they spent their lunch break together. After that, they each went their separate ways again after hugging each other briefly. This might have been a perfect moment to kiss, but Isabelle could not do it yet, due to a surge of shyness. Dominic merely smiled at her, fixing her with a gaze before letting her go entirely.

As she walked back to the centre, Izzy grumbled at herself. She'd faced an angry Charizard but could not act normally around the black haired Ranger. What was wrong with her?


	55. 055 Golduck

**#055 Golduck**

 _Golduck, the Duck Pokémon. The evolved form of Psyduck. Golduck is a fast swimmer, out-swimming even the most athletic of humans because of its webbed hands and feet. Even rough seas do not hamper this Pokémon's swimming abilities, and it will sometimes rescue people from shipwrecks. The gem on its foreheads glows when it uses its psychic powers, and occasionally when it swims at full speed. It has the ability to give knowledge to its Trainer and fellow Pokémon through telepathy. Golduck is sometimes mistaken for the Japanese monster, and physical inspiration for Golduck, the Kappa due to its bluish colour, general body shape, and webbed hands and feet. Golduck lives in freshwater lakes and in rivers._

Sometimes, her self-made travelling nurse uniform felt too restrictive, especially if the sun was shining as brightly as it was today. So, to allow her white skin some sun, Isabelle was wearing some shorts and a tank top, which had an image of a Caterpie wearing a Butterfree onesie emblazoned on it. She found herself at the beach again, near Bill's lighthouse. It was so far away, Cerulean being the only town nearby, that few people came here.

Walking through the sand on bare feet, Isabelle enjoyed the wind through her loose curls. Even her hair was enjoying an off-day. High above her, Pidgeotto was surfing the wind. She'd let him loose since he hadn't had a lot of time to shine, recently. To give her bird some much needed attention, he was the only one of her Pokémon she had released today. He seemed to be practicing Agility from the speed he managed to achieve in this unrestricted space of air.

Dragging her eyes away from Pidgeotto and the scorching sun, Isabelle saw a man at the coastline, with a bunch of tall, blue Pokémon. Upon approaching him, she saw they were Golduck. Only barely giving her a glance, the trainer tossed a heavy, Rattata shaped toy into the surf, waited for a moment, and then blew his whistle. As one, his flock of Golduck dove into the water had retrieved the toy within less than a minute, however far he threw it.

"They're training for Search and Rescue," the man suddenly said, closer to her than he had been before.

"Hm?" Isabelle hadn't really been listening, transfixed by the competence of the Golduck. They were now training themselves. As soon as one dove up the toy, it flung the purple thing away for another Golduck to retrieve.

Golduck were magnificent creatures. Being as tall as Isabelle and a bit heavier than her, they could swim faster than any other Pokémon. This made them unbeatable underwater since nothing was too speedy for them.

"Search and Rescue. They're aquatic aid Pokémon," the man repeated, a little impatient now.

Pidgeotto descended upon Izzy's arm, perching proudly with his head held high.

"This is Pidgeotto, a Medical Bird," Isabelle said, not to be outdone by his Golduck.

The man checked out her Pidgeotto, smiled softly, and gave her a salute.

"Keep up the good work, Officer," Isabelle greeted the man who obviously belonged to the police.

"You too, Nurse."

Smiling, Isabelle let Pidgeotto fly again as she continued to walk down the beach, enjoying the sun on her neglected skin and the wind through her hair. It truly was a glorious day.


	56. 056 Mankey

**#056 Mankey**

 _Mankey, the Pig Monkey Pokémon. Mankey specializes in physical fighting, and is very aggressive and short-tempered. When angry, Mankey begins shaking and its breathing turns rough. Its rage peaks quickly, preventing its victim from being able to flee. If Mankey loses sight of its colony, its loneliness causes it to become infuriated. Mankey can be found in the mountains. Mankey lives in treetop colonies, and if one becomes enraged, the whole colony rampages for no reason. Mankey's preferred food is chestnuts, although Mankey usually lacks the dexterity to peel them. Mankey will get agitated and rage after attempting to peel a chestnut's spiky shell. Additionally, it also appears to be fond of bananas._

One of the most amazing things of Pokémon was that a Pokémon's nature occasionally overruled its natural behaviour. There were docile Charizard and vicious Oddish. Another of those cases was back in Pallet with Professor Oak. Some of the rangers occasionally visited to keep an eye on the Pokémon, both to check that Oak wasn't becoming too old for this, and protecting them from poachers. Dominic, who was in the reserve at the moment, had called her when the report came in, so that's where Nurse Isabelle was headed.

Looking in her agenda, which also served as a notebook, Isabelle read up on the case. The basic outline was that a colony of Mankey needed injections. A virus was going around and it would protect them from becoming sick. Everyone knew that a sick Mankey was an infuriated one. Sighing, Isabelle closed her notebook. She was not really looking forward to this case. Subconsciously, she rubbed her left wrist, which had begun hurting again at the memory. While no blemish could be seen, the mark certainly was there in the manner that her left wrist was less agile than her right one. A result of an old wound, and a painful lesson that an enraged Pokémon was a dangerous one.

Upon meeting Dominic at the gate, Isabelle surprised him by wrapping her arms around his broad shoulders and giving him a close hug. She rested her forehead against his shoulder for a moment as he rubbed her back, not asking any questions. When she was ready to pull back, she did so with a soft smile.

"Nice to see you too, Iz. How are you?"

"Not looking forward to this, but let's do it," she told him.

The colony wasn't hard to find. The pig monkeys smelled intruders and were slightly agitated because of it. Frowning, Isabelle looked up the tree in which most of the Mankey sat. However, in another tree, a single Mankey sat. It looked smaller than the rest but not small enough to be a young one. Mankey would never even leave a young one alone like that.

"Let's start with this one," Isabelle suggested, still looking at the single Mankey. Not only was this female smaller than the rest, it also didn't seem agitated; her breathing was normal and her face resembled friendliness even. Taking a small risk, Isabelle called out to her:

"Come here, honey. Give me a hug."

Without even a single moment of hesitation, the Mankey threw herself out of the tree and into Izzy's arms. Those long arms of hers swung around the nurse's body while it made happy little sounds.

"Look, Dom. A gentle Mankey!" Isabelle exclaimed, smiling. However, when the ranger came near, the pig monkey made angry sounds at him, putting herself in between Dom and Izzy. "All right, all right, little one. Let's not do that," Isabelle said, pulling her away while Dom stepped back.

"Hey, I don't mean any harm," he promised the young lady, but he gave Izzy space to do her job.

"So, you don't like men, hm?" She cooed at the Mankey, while starting a report on her. "This one's below average weight. Maybe she doesn't eat enough? If this continues, she might need to be relocated. She doesn't seem to be part of the colony anyway." Isabelle told Dom, while looking at the colony of Mankey up in the tree, who did not seem at all worried she was touching one of them.

As Dom wrote it down, Isabelle swiftly gave the injection to the Mankey. This brave little lady didn't give a single cry, so she rewarded her with a big hug.

"That's a good girl. Yes, you're a good girl."

However, Isabelle was unable to get rid of the Mankey. She had to treat the rest of the Mankey with the smaller one wrapped around her shoulders on her back. Even lighter than she should be, she was still rather heavy when carried for a long time. The other Mankey, on the other hand, did not mind the little back hanger at all. They even seemed calmer because one of them accepted Izzy so much.

Dom stood a little distance away, writing the report while smiling at the nurse he was so fond of. There was nothing more attractive to him than a woman who knew how to work with Pokémon. He was also relieved he did not have to use the tranquiliser darts he had stored in his pocket. Those truly were a last resort.


	57. 057 Primeape

**#057 Primeape**

 _Primeape, the Pig Monkey Pokémon. The evolved form of Mankey. Primeape is easily angered; even the slightest glance of eye contact will make it furious. When Primeape is furious, its blood circulation is boosted. This makes its muscles stronger, but at the cost of some of its intelligence. It will chase anyone who upsets it and will not stop until it has caught its quarry. Even if it is awoken from sleep, it will groggily chase whatever woke it. Primeape can be found in vibrant forests or on mountains. It has shown some fondness for bananas._

An unfortunate encounter with a Primeape happened only a couple years ago, when Isabelle had just graduated from Nursing school. Now, without her friends, helping Pokémon was a lot more daunting. These Pokémon weren't actors and were genuinely sick.

To gain more experience, Isabelle's mother had obtained her the opportunity to be a Joy's assistant, joining her on all her shifts to get used to the life as a nurse. As the months progressed, Isabelle was allowed to do more and more alone.

Filled with confidence laced with doubt, Isabelle started her very first shift alone. It was early in the morning and the lobby Joy told her that her first patient was a Primeape who'd gotten injured while jogging with his trainer in the morning. Nothing serious, just a bleeding cut on his forearm, the report said.

Feeling professional, Isabelle entered the fourth treatment room, where she'd be during her shift. The Primeape sat on the bed, already bristling with rage as he held his injured arm in his gloved hand. A slightly worried looking body builder sat in the chair nearby, who instantly smiled in relief when Isabelle entered in her pink dress and white apron.

"Nurse, I'm so glad you're here. Primeape has been agitated because of the pain. The sooner we can fix him up, the better."

Isabelle agreed with the man, reached in a cabinet nearby for antiseptic and bandages. Cuts were easy to do. She'd done them all the time at school. Primeape would soon feel better.

While the trainer stroked his pig monkey over his shaggy head, Isabelle stood at his right arm. She laid her right hand on his glove, stroking it soothingly while moving to dab the wound with the antiseptic. However, she forgot to mention it stings some, and this Pokémon did not expect it to like the simulation patients.

Shrieking in pain, the Primeape did what was his nature to do: he attacked. He stomped the offending hand away that had been causing his wound to sting. Izzy's left wrist got caught between the wall and Primeape's fist, causing it to break with a painful 'crunch'. Upon the nurse's scream of pain, the Primeape leapt back, startled and fearing punishment from his trainer, who stared at the nurse on the ground cradling her broken wrist.

The Lobby Joy came rushing in, took in the scene, and called for a colleague to take over here while Izzy would be taken to a hospital herself. Tears ran down Izzy's cheeks. Not only from the pain, but also in humiliation. Merely fifteen minutes into her first shift alone and then something like this happened.

At the hospital, Izzy's wrist was put in a cast. Primeape are strong and had shattered most of the bones. The doctor warned her left hand would never be the same anymore. Izzy didn't listen much. She just sat there, still cradling her wrist.

Only when her mother came in, sat next to her on the bed, and pulled her only daughter into a hug did she finally break fully. She cried for a long while, had over a litre of tea while sharing stories of failed treatments, and eventually felt better. It had been a painful lesson, but a necessary one nevertheless.


	58. 058 Growlithe

**#058 Growlithe**

 _Growlithe, the Puppy Pokémon. Growlithe is a friendly and loyal Pokémon that will fearlessly defend its Trainer and territory from harm, even against larger, stronger enemies. It will fiercely bark at, bite, and chase away any perceived threat, including those who suddenly approach its Trainer. Otherwise, this obedient Pokémon will wait motionlessly until given an order. Growlithe also has a powerful olfactory sense. If it detects an unknown smell in its territory, it roars to flush out the intruder. It is able to smell the emotions of others, and never forgets a scent. However, strong, unpleasant smells can disable its sense of smell for short periods. Growlithe can be commonly found in grassy plains._

Not everyone loves Pokémon as much as Nurse Isabelle does. Not as much as many trainers, rangers, nurses, and common people do. Some people hate Pokémon. How that could be, no one knows, but such people exist. And Isabelle encountered one, today.

Isabelle was enjoying a lovely afternoon on the river bank, just outside of town, near a gorgeous wooden bridge. Her bag was at the Pokémon centre and all her Pokémon were there too. It was just her, jam sandwiches, and a bottle of milk.

As she wiggled open the wrap on her sandwiches, a man caught her attention as he walked over the bridge. He was carrying a closed basket, tied with ropes. However, from inside the basket, frightened squeaking could be heard. Calm down, she told herself. Maybe he's just going to the Pokémon centre and whatever's in there is scared of the nurses. It's possible. Children have it too.

However, all those thoughts left her when the man raised the basket over his head and flung it in the river. The whimpers changed into full blown terrified cries. He was drowning Pokémon! In a split second, Isabelle made a choice, tossed her sandwiches aside, and leapt after them into the water. If Isabelle had been a police woman, she'd immediately apprehended the man, but for Izzy, Pokémon went first.

Struggling against the strong current, Isabelle tried her hardest to get to the basket and tug it back on land. Gurgling inside of the basket told Izzy it wasn't water proof. However, she wasn't trained and did not have the strength to both keep the basket above her head and swim to the shore. By the time she reached the shore, Isabelle was exhausted. A woman with leather gloves tugged her out of the water and immediately began cutting open the rope with a knife. As Isabelle coughed up some water, she saw the characteristic blue hair of Officer Jenny on the lady who helped her. However, this was not the kind face of the Jennys she knew. This one looked grim, as if she wished to burn the basket open with the fierceness of her glare.

Inside the basket laid the tiniest Growlithe she had ever seen. Less than half the size of an adult one, these bald-ish puppies had hatched recently. And the worst thing of all, they were entirely silent as they laid there in the basket. Their little eyes hadn't even opened yet and never would, because some asshole, who did not want to take care of more puppies, drowned them.

Stroking the wet hair away from her face, Isabelle took one of them and gently did chest compressions, trying to bring it back to life. However, she did not have the equipment to give it the oxygen it needed. The tiny little thing remained heart-breakingly silent.

Sobs came from Officer Jenny as she hugged another of the three puppies against her chest, obviously thinking about her own Growlithe, back at the station.

"How could he…?" Jenny cried. "This is the second damn time! How could he?!" She screamed the last bit, voicing her frustrations and her pain.

Later, Isabelle sat at the station with a blanket around her wet body. Both women were staring into their tea, as silent as the puppies which were now being buried by the Diglett of the church yard. The women did not need to say anything. Their pain was in the air, the loss was fresh, and the anger was keeping them going. This man will be caught and he will pay.


	59. 059 Arcanine

**#059 Arcanine**

 _Arcanine, the Legendary Pokémon. The evolved form of Growlithe. Arcanine is a fiercely brave and loyal Pokémon. It is capable of running 6,200 miles (10,000 kilometres) in 24 hours with a speed and grace reminiscent of flight. Arcanine has long been admired for its beauty and speed, and anyone who hears its bark will grovel before it. The source of its power is a flame blazing wildly inside its body. It was shown that it stashes food in its mane and carries it to its nest for its young. Arcanine lives on prairies, and it has also been seen living in active volcanoes._

Nurse Isabelle had both looked forward to coming back to Cinnabar and dreaded it a little. The old man Blaine still made her uncomfortable, but she longed to see how the Vulpix, Ninetales, Growlithe, and Arcanine that lived around the Gym were doing.

Wearing her shorts from the time at the beach with Golduck again, Isabelle wore a new tank top. This one had a Meowth on it, happily licking some ice cream. Her hair was in the usual braid, away from her face.

As she walked up the volcano, she attracted some looks from the locals. With her white skin, that hadn't seen sun in a long time, and medicine bag, she clearly wasn't from Cinnabar Island. However, she looked important enough not to bother with rip-off trinkets.

At the gym, no one answered so she let herself in. Like a woman on a mission, Isabelle strode right away to the dog kennel. There, in a soft box in the middle of the room, were about four Growlithe playing. These were the first she'd seen alive since the incident in the river. Keeping her bag just outside of the pen, Isabelle stepped over the cage and knelt on the soft ground, letting herself be swept over by excited puppies.

Adult Growlithe were less eager to accept strangers but these were less than a year old. They were all playful and happy in the way puppies should be. She had her hands full, rubbing all over their happy, little heads and soft bellies.

The sound of their young awoke the parents from their naps. Slowly, the massive Arcanine came stumbling from wherever they slept. Isabelle held still while the dog, which were taller than her, sniffed her hair and her skin. She apparently smelled okay because she received a warm lick. Then one Arcanine laid behind her and the others curled up in the pen as well, making one big, soft sleeping pit with dogs.

Isabelle must have fallen asleep, exhausted from the boat journey to Cinnabar, because it was dark when she was woken up by a hand on her shoulder. Looking up, sleepily, she saw Blaine's silhouette. She carefully wiggled her way away from the dogs, having to carefully pull some puppies off her lap and chest, and stood up.

As Isabelle followed Blaine into the cool air of the island around dinner time, she waited for him to start talking. For the longest time, he stared out over the sea, of which he had a gorgeous view from his volcano.

"Join me," he eventually said.

"Pardon?"

"Join me. Stay here. Be Cinnabar's personal nurse. Stay here with me," he turned around and looked at her intensely. Isabelle, however, felt highly uncomfortable.

"Ehm. No, thank you. I love my job as it is and am not willing to settle down yet."

As Isabelle tried to step away, Blaine reached out and grabbed her wrist tightly. His skin was calloused and leathery, from handling fire his entire life.

"Don't do it for me. Do it for the Pokémon. It's obvious they love you,"

"Let me go! I love them too, but I'm not staying! I'll call your secretary to reschedule the check-up, now let me go!" Isabelle yanked her wrist free, swung her bag over her shoulder and ran.

The last ferry back to Vermillion had already left, but when a fisher's wife saw the light hand-shaped burn mark on her wrist, a boat was arranged for her immediately. All the women seemed to understand, which made Isabelle even more uneasy about the Fire Gym's leader.


	60. 060 Poliwag

**#060 Poliwag**

 _Poliwag, the Tadpole Pokémon. There is a black and white swirl on its abdomen, which are actually its internal organs showing through its semitransparent skin. The swirl looks clearer after it eats, and the skin is very elastic so that it will not break if the Pokémon is bitten. The direction of the belly spiral differs by area, with the equator being thought to have an effect on this. It has newly developed legs that are poor at walking, and no arms. Its long, mostly transparent tail makes it a powerful swimmer. Because of its ineptitude on land, Poliwag is more likely to be found swimming in small freshwater ponds and lakes. Poliwag feeds on salveyo weed, which can only be found on clear lake bottoms._

Nurse Isabelle was travelling from one city to the next, as she usually did in between jobs. Spring was finally beginning properly and with it the Pokémon behaved differently. Metapod evolved into Butterfree. Unfortunately, the Kakuna evolved, too. Speaking of Butterfree and Beedrill, it was remarkable how trainer's influence changed these Pokémon. Normally, wild Beedrill and Butterfree did not survive the winter. They lay Caterpie and Weedle eggs and pass away during the cold months. However, captured Butterfree and Beedrill could live up to five years. Maybe because of their training, maybe because of the protected environment of the Pokéball. Either way, it was remarkable.

Wearing some capris and three quarter shirt, Isabelle had begun wearing her clothes more freely. When she started, last September, she'd worn her 'uniform' every single day, believing she would not be recognised without. However, people seem to know about her by now and her identification worked as well.

Passing through an area with a lot of ponds and lakes, Isabelle stopped at one, surprised. There, in the middle of a pond, stood her good friend Wendy Foxglove. She had her trousers rolled up to her thighs and was searching the bottom of the pond for something. On dry land, just at water's edge, her Wigglytuff was collecting weeds from a Poliwag who gave them to her. Judging from the stack nearby, they'd been busy for a while.

"Hey! Wendy! What are you doing?" Isabelle called out.

The girl with the sandy hair stood upright again, stretched her back, and waved excitedly at Izzy before coming her way. In light clothing like that, Isabelle was pleased to see Wendy had lost the bit of chubbiness she had had when they were sixteen.

"I'm harvesting salveyo weed. The Vileplume are walking around again now that the weather is nice, and salveyo weed tea is one of the best cures for it. I promised to get some in exchange for a good meal and some herbal medicine for my bag." Wendy pointed to her own medical bag, which was covered in Meowth and Persian, near Wigglytuff.

"Oh, that sounds really nice. I'll help. Shall I get Ivysaur and get my own stack or shall we just share?" As Isabelle spoke, more Poliwag came to the surface of the pond.

"Are you kidding? We'll share, of course, but don't slack off," Wendy said, causing both of them to laugh.

Soon, they were wading through the pond up to their knees, picking the weed and giving it to Poliwag who brought it to Wigglytuff. As they worked, Isabelle complimented her on Wiggly's (for that was her name) gentle and helpful behaviour. They've been known to be rather temperamental, but this one was absolutely adorable. But then again, like trainer like Pokémon. Wendy was mild herself.

By the time the sun went down, both had their arms entirely full of the moist weed. Wigglytuff was resting in her Pokéball, which she entirely deserved. The herbal medicine lady was absolutely delighted with so much of the weeds, explaining her body could not endure the labour anymore.

Sitting outside, enjoying one of the best meals Isabelle had ever had, she caught up with her friend Wendy while nursing a glass of white wine, laughing as they brought up good memories. Venomoth fluttered by as they talked. After dessert, the old lady came back with two stacks of medicine. Loads of berries were included and also other pills and potions. Isabelle actually recognised a lot of this as the herbal form of centre medicine. They thanked the lady, who bowed to them in gratitude, and then went their separate ways after hugging each other tightly and promising to call.


	61. 061 Poliwhirl

**#061 Poliwhirl**

 _Poliwhirl, the Tadpole Pokémon. The evolved form of Poliwag. While Poliwhirl is capable of moving on land, it prefers to stay in freshwater ponds and lakes. When out of water, it sweats to keep its skin moist. It is always covered in an oily fluid that allows it to slip away from enemies. All of its skin feels this away except where its swirl is, which is very smooth. The swirl on its belly undulates slowly, and staring at it induces drowsiness._

The morning after she arrived in the town she'd been heading to when she met Wendy, Nurse Isabelle took a look at the folders of the citizen's comments on strays and wild Pokémon. They were basically quests and occasionally just as exciting. Starved Growlithe, Meowth stuck in a tree. One file stood out. Sick Poliwhirl, who lived in the pond in the park. Taking that file with her, Isabelle headed out.

The pond was actually quite far away from the normal walking route. The path was less well kept here and the further she went, the worse it became. By the time she came to the water, Isabelle was already planning on calling the park rangers. There was filth everywhere. Teenagers had apparently held a party here. Bottles of Blastoise Bubble laid everywhere along with food wrappers. Plastic bags floated on the surface of the water. Nearby, a Poliwhirl had got his left arm and leg stuck in the hole of one of those bags, leaving him unable to swim. He'd apparently been like this for a long while, because he was just floating around on his back, having given up the struggle.

Furious, Isabelle grabbed a Pokéball from her belt and released Wartortle. When the flash of light was gone, Izzy pointed at the Poliwhirl.

"Wartortle, go and push that Poliwhirl to the shore," she commanded. However, Wartortle took one look at the murky, muddy water and shook her head. She stepped close to the nurse, pressed the button of her own Pokéball and went back inside.

"What the …? For goodness sake, Wartortle! I am so sick of your attitude! Don't want to help? Fine, but I'm not letting you out on vacation days, either!" Isabelle threatened in rage. Then she released both Ivysaur and Pidgeotto.

Fuming at Wartortle's insolence, Isabelle didn't speak much, aside from commanding moves to be used. Ivysaur dragged Poliwhirl close with his vines. Since Poliwhirl did not show any signs of recognition that he had been released once Izzy cut the plastic with a pair of scissors, Isabelle laid him on a cloth stretcher she'd attached to Pidgeotto, sending him off to the Pokémon centre with a little note attached that more could be coming.

While waiting for Pidgeotto to return, Isabelle stood up and took out her phone from her pocket. It was a neat gadget and rather simple. No video or anything; just voice calling. It served her well, though. She called the central number of the Rangers.

"Hello. This is Nurse Isabelle. Please send a team over, for I have an entirely neglected corner of the park in Cerulean South. Thank you."

No patience for niceties, she merely did her job then hung up. Soon, people would come to clean this up. Until then, Isabelle would have to transport as many ill Pokémon as she could.

During the call, Ivysaur had found a Poliwag with an open cut on its back. It wasn't bleeding anymore, which was good, but it didn't look clean either. So as soon as Pidgeotto was back, he was sent on his way again.

Luckily, those two seemed to be the only ones. The other Pokémon that lived here had left their pool, hovering in the reed nearby, hiding until the area was clean again. Stroking a nearby Poliwhirl's slimy head, Isabelle smiled wryly. She'd called back her Pokémon, which were exhausted from the amount of work.

After reporting this to the police station and checking in on the Poliwhirl and Poliwag brought in, Isabelle finally called it a day. That night, one bed was empty in their room. Wartortle's ball was still on her belt, under the bed. Pidgeotto, in the top bunk above Izzy seemed indifferent, but Ivysaur was abnormally affectionate tonight. It seemed the little Grass-type was fonder of Wartortle than she was of her team. Isabelle didn't sleep a lot that night, wondering why Wartortle must be this way.


	62. 062 Poliwrath

**#062 Poliwrath**

 _Poliwrath, the Tadpole Pokémon. The evolved form of Poliwhirl and the final evolution of Poliwag. It has powerful muscles in its arms and legs that never tire. When it swims, it uses all the muscles in its body, and is able to swim vast distances with minimal breathing. It is even capable of briefly running on the water's surface. Poliwrath, despite being an excellent swimmer, usually lives on dry land near the water's edge._

The following morning, Nurse Isabelle was still in Cerulean, having returned yet again to the park in the south of the city. This time, she sat in the grass of one of the more maintained areas while she watched rangers walk back and forth from that depressing, secluded pond she had discovered yesterday.

Next to her, on the grass, laid Ivysaur. For once, her starter wasn't napping. He had rested his head on his front paws and was staring out over the water, where Wartortle would be swimming, had she not acted up yesterday. Isabelle stroked Ivysaur over his head gently.

"I know, Ivy. I feel just as bad as you do, maybe even worse."

"Ivy…" He replied.

Pidgeotto wasn't out, either. He was resting up in the Pokécentre. Izzy pushed him a bit hard, yesterday and so he stayed there to be sure he hadn't seriously sprained anything.

On the path on the right came the oddest duo Isabelle had seen in a long while. On the left walked a little girl, who looked she was about five or six years old. She wore a pink dress that looked like a nightgown. From the way she stared ahead, not focussing on anything, Isabelle guessed she might be blind. She did have the most adorable, ecstatic grin on her face, showing off some missing teeth.

On the right walked a massive Poliwrath, who was taller than the girl was. The Water Fighting-type looked nothing like the Poliwrath she had seen before. This one, instead of the usual mean look, behaved gently as he held the little girl's hand. Instead of a Growlithe for blind people, this girl had a Poliwrath. Well, Isabelle thought amused, it certainly kept robbers away.

"Hey there," Isabelle said kindly. "What a magnificent Poliwrath you have there, little girl. Does he have a name?"

The girl turned her head in the direction of Izzy's voice. "Polly. His name is Polly."

Isabelle smiled. "How fitting. What's your name?"

"Polly."

"Polly and Polly? All right. I am Isabelle. I'm a Pokémon nurse. Do you like Pokémon?"

Polly grinned. "Yes! Polly was my first Pokémon when he was a Polly-wag! But I love all Pokémon."

Meanwhile, Ivysaur had crept closer.

"Have you ever touched an Ivysaur, Polly? Because Ivy here is very friendly. Come kneel down, he's not as tall as your Polly-wrath. Poliwrath, be careful, she might fall over." Isabelle instructed gently.

Guided by her Poliwrath, the girl sat on her knees and stroked Ivysaur's head. As she expected, Ivy is exceptionally good with young children, being one of the kindest and most patient Pokémon she knew.

After a small while, a man came running, who recognised his daughter because of the Poliwrath. He thanked Isabelle with a deep bow for taking care of his daughter, explaining they liked to go exploring. While Poliwrath was capable, they still worried. Isabelle smiled and said not to worry about it. She stroked Poliwrath's head, praising him for his good work, and waved at them as the family walked away.

Sitting at the lake-side again, Isabelle watched Ivy crawl onto her lap. He seemed a little revived from this meeting.

"Even if Wartortle might leave us, one day, that doesn't mean it's the end. Pokémon come and go. I will not force Wartortle to stay, just as I will not deny a Pokémon that wants to join for a while. You'll find new friends, Ivy. Don't worry."

"Ivy…" was the reply.


	63. 063 Abra

**#063 Abra**

 _Abra, the Psi Pokémon. Abra can sense danger by reading minds. When it does, it teleports itself to a safe location so quickly that it creates the illusion of having made copies of itself. By hypnotizing itself, Abra is able to teleport or use any of its other extrasensory abilities at any time. Due to the strain of its telepathic powers, however, Abra sleeps 18 hours each day. If it fails to rest long enough, it will become unable to use its powers. Abra lives in urban areas, but has been observed to teleport to a different location once per hour._

Tonight was the night Nurse Isabelle had been anticipating for a couple weeks, ever since the e-mail reached her. Tonight, she'd have her first, official date with Dominic Whitewater.

Standing in her old bedroom of her parental house in Celadon, Isabelle inspected herself in the full-length mirror, touching up on her make-up. No trousers and sneakers tonight. She wore a knee-length dress in female Nidoran blue, adorned with white lace. On her feet, she wore white, strappy heels of medium height. Her curly blonde hair had been done up in a bun on her head, fastened with a flower in the same colour of Ivysaur's bulb.

Her mother wasn't at home, so when the doorbell rang, Isabelle had to go down to open the door herself. As expected, Dom stood at the door, holding a bouquet of flowers for her, causing her to smile brightly. She invited him in as she headed to the kitchen to place the flowers in a vase on the kitchen table. Mum would love these, too.

Dominic looked handsome. He'd changed his white sweater for a Poliwhirl coloured blouse. Black slacks and black shoes never looked wrong on a guy. He'd even combed and put some gel in his black hair. Despite his confident smile, she could see the nerves in his eyes. Said nerves were replaced by appreciation when he took in how she looked.

"I hope I look okay?" Isabelle asked, smoothing down her dress. "Despite growing up here, I've never been to the game corner."

"You look amazing," Dom promised her, a little breathily. She gave him a fond smile, took his offered arm, and off they went.

It was a clear evening as they walked to the game corner. They discussed their plans for the night, only planning on staying for an hour or two at most, before going out for dinner. Dom mentioned he made reservations at a pancake place, which made Isabelle giggle.

It wasn't busy inside. A handful of people were already at the slots machines, hoping to win something. While Dom bought some coins for their coin boxes, Isabelle checked out the prizes. There were some neat little prizes such as a few powerful moves as Ice Beam and Flamethrower, to be taught to Pokémon who did not learn them naturally. There was a different set of prizes available, too, but a man stood in front of the sign, making it impossible for Izzy to read it. Oh well, it didn't matter.

For the next hour, Dom and Izzy had a lot of fun, challenging each other who could win something first, or who had the most winnings. After a while, they had doubled their winnings, so they decided to stop while lady luck was still smiling their way.

At the desk, Dom informed what he could get with this amount of coins. The lady behind the counter cheerfully told them they could purchase an Abra with that amount of coins. That immediately killed Isabelle's mood. She tried to play it easy, though.

"An Abra? Can we see it first? Or maybe even pick one?"

"Sure! We got loads."

As they were led to the floor underneath the game corner by a man, Isabelle shot Dom a worried look. He, in turn, took her hand and squeezed it, telling her to stay calm.

The "price room" was as bad as Isabelle feared. The air smelled highly chemical and not in a good way. In tiny cages all over the room were Abra, slouching unnaturally. From the dazed look in their eyes, it was obvious they had been drugged. In horror, Isabelle walked around, faking indecisiveness on which one to pick. What she was actually doing was slide her hand in her purse, locate her phone, and pressed the emergency button. That alerted the police and sent a squad her way as soon as possible.

Isabelle knelt in front of one that had been throwing up in her cage. "They don't look so good, do they?" She remarked casually. The man shrugged. "Aren't you their caretaker?" Isabelle asked, indignant.

"What do I care about them, missy? They're just for sale."

"Pokémon aren't merchandise," Dominic commented, crossing his arms. While he was muscled from his job, the 'caretaker' had the weight advantage on him.

Isabelle rummaged through her purse for her badge and showed it to him. "I am a Pokémon Nurse. I demand these are taken to a centre right away, or else we'll have them confiscated and you arrested for Pokémon neglect and abuse."

"What?! How dare you, you little…" He tried to punch the blond nurse in the face, but Dominic leapt in front of her, taking the hit.

"That's my girl you're talking about," the ranger proclaimed, before punching the fat guy himself. That was all it took; one hit and the abuser went down.

The door swung open and a pack of Growlithe ran inside, barking furiously, followed by the police squad Isabelle asked for. A look was enough for the decision to arrest the fat guy to be made, and he was dragged off. Taking her phone out of her purse, Isabelle turned the emergency signal off.

While someone was calling for a Pokémon ambulance, Isabelle sat Dominic down against the wall upstairs, away from that chemic stench that gave her a headache. Feeling a little guilty, Isabelle pressed a cold cloth against Dom's bruised cheek, from where he took the hit for her. As she knelt between his legs on the plush carpet, Isabelle was close enough to see a scar underneath his left eye which she had never noticed before. His blue eyes stared at her intensely.

Then, he grabbed her blushing cheeks with both hands and pressed his lips against hers. In surprise, she dropped the cloth with which she had been cooling his bruise, sat frozen for a moment before wrapping her arms around his neck to kiss him back. When some of the police agents on the background cheered, Isabelle broke away, with her cheeks as red as a Charmander. Dominic merely grinned at her, stroking her cheek before sitting back.

Taking a glance at his watch, Dominic laughed; "We missed our dinner." Isabelle chuckled, smiling softly.

"Yeah… we've been busy. I'm not really hungry, though. Are you?"

"Nah,"

Hand in hand, he walked her home. At her doorstep, he kissed her one more time. Because he was taller than her, she had to stand on her toes, and still he had to bow down. Neither seemed to mind, though. With Butterfree in her stomach, Isabelle watched him leave from the kitchen window, sighing happily.


	64. 064 Kadabra

**#064 Kadabra**

 _Kadabra, the Psi Pokémon. The evolved form of Abra. Kadabra emits alpha waves strong enough to induce headaches, and can even cause clocks to run backwards, machines to malfunction, and delicate devices to cease functioning altogether. When it has a headache, the alpha waves become unusual. Kadabra can double the amplitude of its alpha waves when holding its spoon, and can increase it even further by closing its eyes. The waves increase further in strength the more danger Kadabra faces. All of Kadabra's brain cells work in unison while it uses its powers. Kadabra lives in urban areas._

In the Saffron City Pokémon centre, Nurse Isabelle was packing her medical bag. The sun had already set, but she wished to have this done so she wouldn't have to do it in the morning. She checked whether her berries weren't spoiled and whether she had enough to cure every kind of infliction, be it poison or confusion, or anything else.

Some fluttering could be heard and then something descended on the windowsill of the open window. Expecting some stray Pidgey, Isabelle was surprised to see a massive Venomoth there. Walking to the window, she took the note from it. The note was written in dark purple, cursive letters, which Isabelle recognised as Sabrina's, for she had kept her previous note. The handwriting was shaky, though, and spoke of great peril. Nurse Evergreen must come at once, she'd written. With a sigh and a longing look at her bed, Izzy picked up her medical bag and told Venomoth to meet her in front of the centre.

Through the dark streets of Saffron, Isabelle ran next to Venomoth as it led the way to the Gym. Isabelle didn't know the town well enough to find it on her own, late at night. In case Venomoth might spread poisonous pollen Isabelle ran next to it, instead of behind it, but it sure could fly fast. With so much running involved in the life of a Pokémon nurse, no one even had the chance to get fat.

The gym wasn't hard to recognise. The building's features were dark and obscured, but many people ran out of the building, in panic. Some carried their Abra or Venonat, others cradled a bent spoon as if it were the most valuable item they owned. At the doorway, Isabelle met up with Sabrina.

True to her character, Sabrina looked absolutely calm. Her dark green hair was perfectly groomed and smooth, and her red robes were unwrinkled. She smiled serenely when Isabelle came up to her.

"So, why is everyone panicked?" Isabelle asked casually as if this was entirely normal.

"Kadabra is having a nightmare," Sabrina merely stated.

"So?"

"He is currently sleepwalking and believes he's under attack. He has attacked everyone on sight with his Confusion, sending them flying."

"Hm… That's bad. All right, I'm going in. Team!" Isabelle released all of her Pokémon. "We've got a sleepwalking Kadabra that's attacking at random. We have to wake him up!" She frowned slightly at Ivysaur, who would wake up at sunrise exactly and want to play. "You should be good at that," Ivysaur merely grinned at the nurse.

Inside the gym, it was an absolute mess. Chairs lay broken on their sides as if smashed against the walls. Tables were overturned with legs missing. Thank goodness all of the Pokémon seemed to have gotten out.

The Kadabra wasn't hard to find. He kept shouting his name as he flung dolls from a creepy-looking doll house around.

"Hey!" Isabelle shouted, causing the Psi Pokémon to turn around. It didn't seem to wake him up, though, since he raised his single spoon at Isabelle. However, at the last moment, his attack hit Ivysaur, who had been sneaking close. The little Grass Type was flung backwards and slid a little over the smooth floor. When he got up, he shook his head, entirely disoriented.

What he did after that was so unexpected yet amazing, Isabelle would tell everyone about it. In his confusion, he looked at Kadabra, charged while shouting, and Headbutted it with more physical power she knew the Bulb Pokémon had or ever would have.

Kadabra and Ivysaur crashed down on the floor and Kadabra hit his head on the table the dollhouse was on. When he sat up, he held his head, having probably a massive headache, and looked around confused at the mess.

Isabelle cheered and cradled Ivysaur in her arms, curing his Confusion for him with love.


	65. 065 Alakazam

**#065 Alakazam**

 _Alakazam, the Psi Pokémon. The evolved form of Kadabra and the final evolution of Abra. Alakazam is able to use all forms of psychic abilities. These powers are used to move its body, as opposed to its weak muscles. It also uses its psychic powers to hold up its head, which is too heavy to be supported by its neck, due to its continually growing brain. It is said to have an excellent memory and can remember everything that it has experienced since hatching as an Abra, and has an IQ that exceeds 5,000. It is found in urban areas._

After the sleepwalking Kadabra incident, Nurse Isabelle stayed over at Saffron Gym, in case any more events such as those happened. Fortunately, the night turned into dawn quietly. Just after dawn, Isabelle was expected at the battlefield, where she would see the case she was summoned for.

After a quick breakfast of tea and a roll with jam, Isabelle walked through the hallway to the main hall. Everywhere, people were glueing together chairs that had been smashed or matching orphan legs with their table. With a light, encouraging smile, she tiptoed her way through as she approached the massive double doors ahead.

Ever since Sabrina found herself again, she had renovated the place. Much more natural light, for example. Less oppressive, too. Inside, the green-haired lady stood with her Alakazam. The humanoid psychic was only a bit smaller than the Gym leader, but a lot smarter.

"Good morning. Here I am. So, what's the matter with Alakazam?"

"Let me show you, Nurse Evergreen,"

"Please. Call me Isabelle,"

Sabrina pulled out of her pocket a small recording device. When she pressed play, Isabelle was strongly reminded of Beedrill. The familiar buzzing sound, however, had a severe effect on Alakazam. Immediately, he grabbed his head, crying out in extreme terror. Because it disrupted his focus, Sabrina stopped it after only a few seconds. Together, they stroked Alakazam until he calmed down. Alakazam need psychological focus, of course, to hold their heads up because their bodies are not physically strong enough.

"Scared of bees, such as Beedrill? That's a problem... " Isabelle sat down on the bench of the challenger's supporters. "Hmm.. This will take a while to solve. Of course, it's quite possibly manageable. You just need to spend a lot of work on Alakazam. Are you willing to do this?"

"Of course, Isabelle. Tell me what I must do."

Taking out her phone out of her pocket, she played with it in her hands, contemplating whether she should call first or tell Sabrina first. The latter won.

"Alakazam won't like this. It's called exposure therapy. Basically, we'd have Alakazam meet a well-trained Beedrill once a week or so. From it merely sitting quietly in the back of the room, till being able to touch it and fight it again. This'll be mentally challenging for Alakazam, since he'll have to face his fears."

"But he'll be okay after this, right?"

"I'm quite sure he'll be."

Sabrina placed a soft kiss on Alakazam's head. "Will you be doing this treatment?"

Isabelle shook her head. "Not likely. I know someone who works in the centre nearby. She's a big fan of yours. Don't worry," Isabelle laughed. "She isn't as preppy as most Joys. She's rather alternative. Long, Arbok-purple hair. These thigh high boots. She's cool," Izzy nodded. "She was there when you sent me that note with Venomoth to make this appointment. She was very, very excited that I'm here today."

Sabrina allowed a soft smile. "When can she come?"

Through the phone in Izzy's hands came a cheer and a shout: "I can be there in ten minutes!"


	66. 066 Machop

**#066 Machop**

 _Machop, the Superpower Pokémon. Machop's entire body is covered with muscles that will never tire or cramp. With these muscles, it can lift many times its own body weight. It spends its time and energy practicing all different forms of martial arts and trying to improve its abilities. Machop lives in the mountains._

Because Wartortle had been difficult lately, Nurse Isabelle had decided to spend the day training her. With permission, they were in a local training centre, which was built to allow trainers to work with their Pokémon, even if the weather is bad. This place was designed to train on physical power and stamina primarily. There were obstacle courses, dumbbells, and treadmills. No swimming water in sight, to prevent Wartortle from hiding away.

Few people were around. Just two trainers with their Pokémon as far as Isabelle could see. Taking the ball from her belt, she summoned Wartortle. Her Water-type seemed actually surprised to be called again.

Sitting on a weight press bench with her legs crossed, Isabelle looked at the turtle sternly.

"Wartortle. Your behaviour of the last few weeks has been unacceptable. At the moment, you are a nurse's Pokémon and you should act like it. I am aware this might not be your ideal situation and I promise I'm looking into how to make things better for you, but until that time, I need your full co-operation. If you get filthy, I'll make sure you're either washed or given the opportunity to wash yourself. But there are sick Pokémon out there. Injured Pokémon! I need a Water-type I can trust. For the moment, that's you. Don't forget you wished to join me, back when we met. I did not force you. Am I clear?"

This clearly was not what Wartortle wanted to hear, but Isabelle received a curt nod. Isabelle stood up from the bench.

"Then let's get to work. You've been neglecting your moves. As long as you're with me, I want you to be the best you can be. I will not ask things of you that you cannot do, but I will push you to your limits. You'll be grateful when your Water Gun is powerful enough to wash sludge away. It'll save a lot of scrubbing." Isabelle said as she walked over to the treadmill.

So in the following hours, Isabelle trained Wartortle firmly. The training helped increase her speed at the treadmill, her physical power with the dumbbells, and the strength of her Tackle at the heavy bag.

As Isabelle was tossing some large, rubber ball at her for her to use her Water Gun on to send it back, a Pokémon appeared from the weight lifting area. Its grey skin and childlike height told Isabelle it was a Machop. As Isabelle and Wartortle trained, the Fighting-type watched on, gazing longingly at the female Water-type. By the time the nurse declared they were done, he was gone.

When Isabelle and Wartortle were taking a break and having lunch, the Machop appeared again. He was carrying something this time. He held a box of Pokémon treats in the shape of bubbles. Isabelle smiled fondly but Wartortle took one look at the Machop with his cookies and turned away her head, causing Izzy to sigh. The Machop looked devastated, so Isabelle held out her hand to accept the gift for Wartortle. She'd already caught the trainer's eye, who sat a little while away, eating some pasta. Both the trainer and the nurse shared a smile at Machop's puppy love.

After having done every single type of training one more time, Isabelle called it a day. Talking about the size of the bath at the Pokémon centre, they were interrupted by a cry behind them.

"Machop! Chop! Mach! Machop!"

The Machop came running with a water lily bouquet, held together by a ribbon of the same colour as Wartortle's tail. A truly well-thought present. However, Wartortle still looked down on the smaller Pokémon. She did take the flowers, though and then walked out of the gym. At the expression of uncertain hope on Machop's face, both trainers burst out laughing.

"I'd hate to be the one to tell Machop Wartortle isn't really interested," Isabelle said, causing the trainer to grimace.

"He'll get over it, I hope. She might like him better if he were evolved or so."

"Maybe. She is a tough lady to please."


	67. 067 Machoke

**#067 Machoke**

 _Machoke, the Superpower Pokémon. The evolved form of Machop. Machoke is a Pokémon of immense strength. Its muscles are as hard as steel, and it is capable of lifting extremely heavy objects with only one finger. Despite its immense strength, it is modest and often helps people with manual labour. It can be found in the mountains, where it trains daily._

Ever since their date at Celadon Game Corner, Nurse Isabelle and Dominic the Ranger kept in regular contact. No matter the time, Isabelle could always text him during long nights as she watched over sick Pokémon to help them through the night.

Dominic mentioned he'd be nearby, at a Pokémon tournament, and invited her to come. One of his Pokémon would be competing and the tournament would always welcome a nurse. And, he added, he missed her. The way he said that always made her blush whenever she remembered that text.

With her medical bag swung over one shoulder, Isabelle entered the town, which seemed to revolve around this tournament. Stalls where food was sold were everywhere and, between them, bets were placed, Pokémon paw prints were sold, and many other things.

As she went to the registration booth, she identified herself and volunteered as a nurse for this event. The manager was called, who shook her hand over and over in obvious ecstatic happiness. A calloused hand placed itself over theirs, preventing Izzy's arm from being shaken off. It belonged to the tall Dominic who was backed by an even taller Machoke.

Happy to see him, she flung her arms around his neck and hugged him. She could hear him smile when he wrapped his arms around her waist, cradling her against his body before letting her go.

"Izzy, meet Machoke. Machoke, this is nurse Isabelle, my girlfriend." While Dominic grinned at this, Izzy blushed. It was true, though.

"Nice to meet you, Machoke. So, you'll be competing in the tournament?"

Machoke nodded, grunting his name.

"I wish the two of you the best of luck. I'm going to set up a little tent near the hill for the injured. I could use your strength."

While Izzy was actually talking to Machoke, she laughed when Dominic flexed. "Yes, you may help, too."

The crew of the event was willing to help and within no time, the blond nurse had a tent, a few beds, and more supplies than she would actually need. All around her feet, her Pokémon ran around. Ivysaur has not left her since he was summoned, following her every move. Wartortle was talking to Raichu on one of the beds in the back while Pidgeotto kept watch near the entrance.

Then a magnified voice told everyone the event was about to start. It was a simple concept. There was this steep hill and it had to be conquered. A Pokémon could win by standing on top of it when the time ran out, which was about two hours, or when it was the last Pokémon remaining. Isabelle liked the idea. It tested strength, stamina, but also intelligence. Dom's Machoke had a good chance of winning, strength-wise, but it didn't seem intelligent. He simply did what Dom or Raichu asked of him and nothing more. A bit stereotypical of Fighting-types but he seemed like a sweet guy.

When the event started, an unlikely Pokémon waggled its way to the top with ease. There, it stood, looking confused and slightly pained as it held its head. With a slight frown, Dominic ordered Machoke to push the Psyduck off the hill and claim it for his own. Shoving a Psyduck off a hill was the easy part. Only a few minutes in, Machoke would have to defend himself and keep his ground against attacks from all kinds of Pokémon. Grass-types tried to tug him off while Fighting-types met him in brute strength.

Isabelle couldn't watch much. The initial Psyduck needed a plaster and a kiss, and after that, many other Pokémon were brought in. A bruised Oddish, a stunned Mankey. Isabelle was actually quite busy, but few of the Pokémon were seriously injured. Such wounds were actually not allowed in this competition. Most just had their honour dented.

In the end, Machoke lost. Isabelle couldn't see who or whose it was, but she was happy for it. Machoke had been tough to beat. Dominic returned with bags of Pokémon food and takeaway pasta for the two of them. Sitting outside as the buzz of the competition died down, they sat shoulder to shoulder as they ate their food, chatting softly about today's event and anything interesting that might have happened since they last met.


	68. 068 Machamp

**#068 Machamp**

 _Machamp, the Superpower Pokémon. The evolved form of Machoke and the final evolution of Machop. Machamp punches extremely fast, throwing five hundred punches a second. With only one hand, it can move a mountain. Because of its four arms, it can hit from a multitude of angles and pin all of its foe's limbs at once. However, it has poor dexterity, and cannot handle delicate work without its arms becoming tangled. It is a rash Pokémon that rushes into action without forethought. Machamp can be found living in the mountains._

After the tournament in which Dominic's Machoke fought and lost, there was a lull before the winner would be announced and crowned. This was the busiest moment for Nurse Isabelle, since all trainers wanted an okay from the nurse. Raichu and Wartortle let people in whenever a bed became free. Pidgeotto took medicine from the table and flew it to Izzy whenever she asked for it, and Dominic helped Izzy with the patients, holding them still or calming their trainers while Isabelle checked them out. While it was chaotic, Isabelle loved it. She was in her element.

When all of the trainers had been dealt with, a massive man entered, followed by a Machamp. The four-armed Fighting type was tall for his kind, taller than average, but its trainer was even taller. He was easiest the biggest man Isabelle had ever seen, and that included men such as Giovanni from Viridian Gym.

Unlike Giovanni, this man had a kind smile on his face. He did not wear much. Merely a championship belt and shorts, revealing his muscular chest. His shoulders were broad and his six-pack so defined that Isabelle longed to run her hands over it. She had no doubt this man was strong enough to lift her easily, even though she wasn't the skinniest of girls.

The man stuck out his hand to Isabelle, who looked flustered in her activity, with strands of her hair coming loose from her braid, making her look rather messy. Isabelle, self-consciously, ran her hands through her hair in an attempt to smooth it down, making the man laugh a booming laugh.

"Don't worry about that, miss Nurse. I respect women that work hard, and the colour of your cheeks and the amount of patched up Pokémon tells me that you do. I'm Bruno, and this is Machamp." Upon Dominic's start, Bruno looked over at him.

"You're Bruno? From the Elite Four?"

"Was it your Machoke that held the hill for so long?" Bruno stuck out his hand. "I must offer my compliments, then. Your Machoke was great. You clearly trained him well. And yes, I am Bruno of the Elite Four."

Isabelle wasn't particularly interested in competitive battling and so she wasn't that hyped about the Elite Four. Dominic clearly was, it seemed, and so he sat down somewhere to talk about the training of their Pokémon.

Meanwhile, Isabelle checked out Machamp. He had some bruises on his body from where Machoke tried to defend himself, but the healthy glow of his skin told her these would be no problem. Machamp was one of the healthiest Pokémon she had ever seen. Like Machoke for Dom, Machamp seemed to revere Bruno and follow his every command.

After Bruno and Machamp had taken their prize for winning the tournament (which was some belt,) Dominic sat down with Isabelle in the nurse's tent. Dom sat with his back to one of the support beams with Isabelle sitting between his legs, with her back against his chest. As they shared some lemon ice cream from the same carton, Dominic explained that the Elite Four were using their fame to promote Pokémon welfare. Kind of like what Izzy and Dom were doing, but then on a bigger scale. It made Isabelle more interested in them.

After the ice cream was gone, Dominic angled Izzy's head up with his cold fingers and kissed her softly on her lemon-flavoured lips. Despite them both tasting like lemon, Isabelle enjoyed the fact that there was still a hint of something that was uniquely Dominic. With her eyes closed, she kissed him back, languidly and lazily, and they relaxed from a long and hectic day.


	69. 069 Bellsprout

**#069 Bellsprout**

 _Bellsprout, the Flower Pokémon. Its roots resemble feet, and it uses them as such. It will plant these feet in the ground to replenish water, but it is unable to flee while it is rooted. It has one green leaf on each side of its body. Its yellow head is bell-shaped and has what appear to be pink lips at the end. Bellsprout prefers hot and humid places, living in forests._

As Nurse Isabelle held her phone, she reflected on what a curious girl Wendy Foxglove was. She had called Izzy just now, proclaiming that she needed her help and that 'Isa' must come this instant. Luckily for her, or maybe she knew, Isabelle was close by; Wendy was just outside of town, near a berry farm.

Because it was such a pleasant day, Isabelle had all her Pokémon out. Ivysaur walked right next to her, Pidgeotto flew somewhere above them, and Wartortle walked a bit behind them. Isabelle reflected on how she'd like to add to the team, soon. There was more room for her 'family' to grow.

At the fields of the farm, Isabelle first saw Wigglytuff bouncing around. Despite their kind being known for arrogance and being difficult to handle, this one was exceptionally well-behaved. Isabelle wondered whether Wendy was a better trainer than she let on. Izzy knew her as this naïve girl that believed all Pokémon had good in them, which was a bit of an optimistic view.

"Hello! Isa! Glad you could make it!" Standing in the middle of a field with wiggly things, Wendy waved at the approaching team. As Izzy came closer, she realised what was going on. The Bellsprout were rooted to feed themselves and would be unable to leave the earth until they were done.

"Let me guess. We're on guard duty?" When Wendy nodded excitedly, Isabelle groaned.

"What's wrong, Isa?"

Isabelle shook her head. "Nothing, really. There's just something about these Pokémon that annoys me. Must be their derpy face." Speaking of a derpy face reminded her of Psyduck and Dominic's distaste for them. When she thought of Dominic, she thought of the kiss, which coloured her freckled cheeks a rosy colour.

"A blush!" Wendy stepped out of the field, showing she wasn't wearing any shoes or socks, spread out a blanket and sat down on it, in front of the field. She patted the cloth. "Sit and spill,"

While Ivysaur pranced and prowled through the field of wiggling Bellsprout, Isabelle filled her in on what had happened, especially with the Abra and the tournament with Machoke. Wendy was grinning and clapping excitedly, as if she were watching a romance film on television and her favourite couple was finally having a scene.

"I'm so happy for you, Isa. He sounds like a great man. I'd love to meet him. Is he hot?" When Isabelle nodded, she squealed.

Pretending not to notice Wendy's shipping of her and Dom, Izzy watched Wartortle and Wigglytuff. Despite being so hard to handle, Wartortle seemed to make female friends easily. First Raichu, despite type differences, and now Wigglytuff.

As expected, only a few Pidgey tried to bother the Bellsprout but were chased away by Pidgeotto swiftly, who still had dominance and authority over all of his kind. As the sun was setting and the Bellsprout left the earth, Isabelle hugged Wendy as they said goodbye. They'd had a picnic while talking about practically everything. She had been shocked to hear about the drowned Growlithe, yet less furious about catching the killer than Izzy had been. She mostly was in tears for the poor puppies, which did not surprise Isabelle at all. Promising to call, Isabelle left her friend again, going their own ways.


	70. 070 Weepinbell

**#070 Weepinbell**

 _Weepinbell, the Flycatcher Pokémon. The evolved form of Bellsprout. Weepinbell camouflages itself as a plant in the forest whilst awaiting an unwary victim. When its prey draws near it sprays toxic pollen to immobilize the target before melting it with its internal acids. It oozes a neutralizing fluid that prevents these internal acids from melting its own body. Weepinbell live in forests where it hangs from tree branches by its stem to sleep. If it moves around during sleep, Weepinbell may slip and awaken to find itself on the ground._

Whenever Nurse Isabelle found herself in Celadon City, there were two women she longed to visit. The first one was her mother, who had been a nurse in her own age, but now just took care of Pokémon that needed long-term treatment. Premature hatchlings, for example, or Pokémon that whose trust needed to be won again. Isabelle had the feeling her mother, Elenor Evergreen, was secretly wishing for a grandchild. Both women knew that their love for their job came first, though. Elenor had been rather old when she had her daughter, compared to the other mothers in her birth month. She was rapidly approaching her sixties and her blond hair had lost most of its golden colour and was streaked with grey. Sandy, Isabelle called it affectionately.

After tea at the zoo that was Mother's house, Isabelle headed over to Celadon Gym, where she would meet up with the second woman she longed to see in Celadon. Erika, the Gym Leader and a childhood friend of Izzy, had invited her over for dinner. Because Izzy had never been to Erika's house before, they had decided to meet at the Gym and walk the last bit themselves.

Erika lived close to the Gym. Isabelle was told the Gym owned the park around the greenhouse that was the Gym, too, and in this park was a lovely house that may have served as a gatehouse in old times. What made Isabelle laugh was this little Meowth latch on the door, to let small Pokémon in. It was such an Erika thing to have.

Despite the warmth of a spring afternoon, Erika was still dressed in the traditional, eastern robes. As Isabelle was given a knife and told to chop the vegetables, they talked.

"How are things, Erika?"

"They're good, albeit slow. Not many trainers this last month. My Pokémon are getting restless. Now that you're in Celadon, would you like to battle me, tomorrow morning? Weepinbell here, for example, hasn't been trained in over a week. See how he's bothering those Oddish? He has too much energy."

Isabelle had indeed seen it. "Don't worry. I'll fight you. I have a Pokémon that'd love to fight. My Pidgeotto. Simple guard duty isn't enough for him, apparently. I'm happy you asked."

Erika smiled at her friend before serving dinner. As the girls ate at the table, they were surrounded by eating Pokémon. Oddish at their feet, eating from bowls. A Gloom, a Weepinbell, and some Bellsprout. Despite the crowd, Isabelle loved it. Being surrounded by Pokémon truly was a joy. It also helped that these weren't injured. It was satisfying to heal Pokémon, but it felt good to see them healthy, too.

Sitting cross-legged on a mattress on the floor, Isabelle had Ivy between her legs as she combed out her long, curly hair.

"Erika…," Isabelle started. "Have you ever been in love?"

That caught Erika's attention immediately. "Why…?"

"How do you keep a guy happy? I'm seeing this guy, a Ranger, and … we've been kissing." Her freckled cheeks coloured a rosy colour, causing the older Erika to grin. "Both times, he was the one to kiss me. How do I keep him happy?"

Cradling Weepinbell on her lap, Erika took a moment to respond. "The first and best piece of advice I can give you is to listen to your heart. Your heart knows best. If you feel like kissing him, just do it. Of course, there are certain kissing techniques that are sure to get his attention."

After a lengthy talk about how and where to kiss, Isabelle laid down but was unable to sleep for a long while. A certain black-haired ranger was heavily on her mind. Whenever she tried to imagine her using some of Erika's advice, she'd get all bashful. She had been told, though, that the first time trying something new like that was always scary.


	71. 071 Victreebel

**#071 Victreebel**

 _Victreebel, the Flycatcher Pokémon. The evolved form of Weepinbell and the final evolution of Bellsprout. Covering Victreebel's mouth is a leaf with a long, brown, yellow-tipped vine growing out of it. The vine is flicked to mimic an animal in order to attract prey. Victreebel also produces a sweet scent to further aid in luring its victims. Acid that has dissolved numerous prey animals becomes sweeter and even more effective at attracting prey. It can be found in small groups and is territorial. Victreebel has been seen to hoard food, usually small birds and rodents, and collect Leaf Stones to perform evolution rituals at night to help Weepinbell become more Victreebel. Victreebel lives in forests._

Half-hidden underneath a mop of unruly curls, Nurse Isabelle sleepily watched the sun rise as a chipper Erika was baking pancakes in the kitchen. As Izzy took a sip of her herbal tea, she mentally cursed the fact that Grass-types woke up at dawn, so, naturally, trainers specialised in them did, too. As Erika brought a huge stack of the pancakes to the breakfast nook, Isabelle suppressed a huge yawn.

"Oh, come on. It's not that early."

"Ye-e-e-es, it is," Isabelle said, yawning again.

As the girls ate their breakfast, Weepinbell came along, nibbled Izzy's toes for a moment, before hopping off again. Isabelle merely watched it with a raised eyebrow. Erika barely even looked.

"Something tells me you're rather used to the weird things Pokémon can do," she said.

Isabelle laughed. "Yep. You can't begin to imagine the trouble they can get into."

When the two girls got to the gym, they were greeted by the gym's trainers with a respectful bow. Izzy felt a little uncomfortable, but Erika seemed used to it.

"Mireille, how's your Oddish? If still a little weak, plant her in the special soil today. Avabella, section three needs care today. Uma, harvest the herbs. Joliet, you work in the perfume store today."

The girls took the commands obediently and took off to do their chores.

Because everyone was busy, Erika and Isabelle had the middle of the greenhouse to themselves. As Erika released Weepinbell, Isabelle let all of her Pokémon out. Pidgeotto to fight, Wartortle to swim around in the little canals through the greenhouse, and Ivysaur because Grass-types loved greenhouses the way Flying-types loved the open air and Water-types loved the sea.

As Ivysaur leapt in and out of the fragrant foliage, Isabelle and Erika readied themselves to battle. Pidgeotto seemed confident, having type advantage. Isabelle wasn't so sure. She wasn't an experienced battler, at all, and Erika was. Surely, she had fought against type disadvantage more often than Isabelle could imagine.

Luckily for her, Pidgeotto knew his trainer and didn't rely on commands much. He flew when he needed to dodge, he knew when to attack, and he knew which attacks to use. Izzy merely needed to sit back and watch the show. She would wince whenever either Pokémon took a harsh hit, but the fight was amazing to see. After a while, they seemed to have reached an impasse. Both Pokémon were exhausted yet still standing, panting hard. If Isabelle wasn't so worried for her bird, she would have chuckled at the sight of a Weepinbell panting. He looked rather ridiculous. However, the desire to laugh disappeared when Weepinbell lit up, swiftly evolving into a Victreebel. With renewed energy, he wrapped his vines around Pidgeotto and slammed him into the ground. When her bird did not get up, Isabelle ran onto the field to gather her courageous Flying-type in her arms. She pressed her lips against the glorious comb on his head.

"You did splendidly. I'm proud of you, Pidgeotto," she whispered.

Meanwhile, Wartortle and Ivysaur were a bit deeper into the greenhouse. Ivysaur had discovered some sweet scent somewhere in the greenery, a delightful fragrance he longed to find the source of. However, whenever he got close, Wartortle would Water Gun his behind, forcing him to growl at her. By the time the turtle had gone away, Isabelle called out for him, claiming it's time to leave. With much reluctance, he left the sweet scent behind.


	72. 072 Tentacool

**#072 Tentacool**

 _Tentacool, the Jellyfish Pokémon. Tentacool absorbs sunlight and refracts it using water inside its body to convert it into beam energy. It is also able to control Pokémon it touches with its tentacles. Tentacool can be found throughout the ocean. It will sometimes wash ashore and become shrivelled and dehydrated, but may be revived if it is thrown back into the ocean._

Today would be one of the first days that saw Wartortle fully re-joined as part of the team, after the rejection from the time when the Poliwhirl needed help. Keeping a careful eye on her, Nurse Isabelle walked over the beach on her bare feet. Wearing her trusty shorts again, she also wore her t-shirt that had an image of a Meowth with an ice-cream cone on it. While she actually didn't have a whole lot of time to spend her days like this, strolling the beach, it was one of their last opportunities before they headed inlands again, towards the mountains and caves of Pewter City. So before they traded sand for rock and gravel, the nursing team would spend a day or two at the beach. Pidgeotto, far above, was riding the strong sea wind like how a surfer would ride waves. Wartortle was in the water, seemingly interested in something. With Ivysaur at her heels, Izzy approached the water.

There was another turtle around Wartortle, about the size of her, yet Izzy couldn't immediately identify what it was. It didn't have Wartortle's tail, so it had to be a Squirtle, yet the colouring was different. It had darker skin with splotches of a colour similar to Wartortle's. The shell was less refined than Squirtle's, too. Much wilder.

With a smile, Isabelle realised this was an actual wild Squirtle, not the domestic breed Oak gave out to young trainers. Isabelle longed to capture it and find out more about the differences between the wild and domestic Squirtle, but she was interrupted by Pidgeotto, who cried urgently, beckoning for her to come. Even Wartortle responded to the cry; she probably realised she needed to be on her best behaviour. Izzy wasn't as weak as Wartortle originally thought.

Leaving the wild Squirtle behind, the team ran after Pidgeotto until they came to a little inlet. There, the surf was coloured purple with unmoving bodies. Coming near, Izzy saw they were Tentacool, who probably have been washed up and dried up in the sun. A little hesitant to touch them herself, Isabelle ordered Ivysaur to get on Pidgeotto's back. He would carry the Tentacool with his vines and Pidgeotto would fly over sea where they would release them. As soon as they hit water, their parchment-like skin should soak up the water, leaving them able to swim away again. Wartortle was ordered to push them back into the water with her Water Gun.

Isabelle was grateful for her team, whose members were effective enough that she didn't need to touch the Tentacool. They might be primarily Water-Types, but they were some of the more poisonous of the secondary Poison-Types.

As soon as the Tentacool hit the water, or were hit by water, they grew twice their size, having shrunk when they dried out. Within seconds, they started moving again and swam back, deeper into sea. Despite not liking their type, Isabelle couldn't help but admire their resilience. They had been basically dead, baking like that in the sun, and now they're swimming away like nothing really happened.


	73. 073 Tentacruel

**#073 Tentacruel**

 _Tentacruel, the Jellyfish Pokémon. The evolved form of Tentacool. Tentacruel's tentacles can be freely elongated and shortened, and can absorb water to stretch to some length. The tentacles are normally kept short, but on hunts, they are extended to ensnare and immobilize prey. It weakens the prey by dosing it with a harsh toxin. Its red orbs glow when it grows excited or agitated, and it may alert others to danger by stridently flashing them. Tentacruel can be found throughout the ocean._

After the excitement of rescuing the Tentacool and a well-deserved lunch, every member of Nurse Isabelle's team did their own thing. Ivysaur was asleep on the blanket in the shade, snoring with every other breath. Wartortle was swimming again, apparently planning on getting as much exercise as she could before they'd leave for the mountains, early tomorrow morning. Pidgeotto was catching the rubber balls shaped like Jigglypuff that Isabelle threw at him, training his reaction speed. Out of all of her Pokémon, Pidgeotto was most interested in battling. Not wanting to make the same mistake she'd made with Wartortle, Isabelle was giving a little bit into his wishes outside of his duties in the team. She should have taken Wartortle to those salons and breeding contests and all, but she hadn't noticed sooner. It was a bit too late, now.

Suddenly, they heard terrified cries from the ocean. Isabelle turned her head just in time to see Wartortle go under despite her thrashing around. From under the trees, Ivysaur came running as Pidgeotto circled over where Wartortle disappeared. Despite Izzy's current annoyance with Wartortle's behaviour, she did love her turtle. By the time Ivysaur caught up, the bird was hovering over the water, taunting the attacker to come up to the shore, which it did. The massive shell of a Tentacruel broke the surf with, clutched in his tentacles, Wartortle, who was twitching violently. Realising she had been poisoned, Izzy ordered Ivysaur to attack with his Razor Leaf. Tentacruel had too many tentacles to keep them all busy, so a diversion would not work.

In a manner Isabelle had never seen of her male team members, the two worked together like they'd been fighting together for years. Pidgeotto managed to grab one of the tentacles and proved his immense physical power by lifting the jellyfish in the air. The ordered Razor Leaf cut Wartortle free, injuring the Tentacruel so that his tentacles retreated. A well-timed Vine Whip caught the turtle as she fell, swiftly pulling her back to land.

As Isabelle cradled her unconscious turtle in her arms, feeding her an antidote, she watched Ivysaur charge up a Solar Beam, strengthened by the sunny weather. Within no time, he managed to blast off Tentacruel far from the shore, causing the violent Water-type to retreat under the waves.

Having called Wartortle back to her Pokéball, she wrapped her arms around her exhausted Pidgeotto and Ivysaur.

"You guys were great. I'm so proud of you, and I'm sure Wartortle is, too!" Her praise was accented by the blinding light that came from inside her hug. Covering her eyes and leaning back, Isabelle couldn't really tell who was evolving. When the light was finally gone, the nurse blinked a couple times. The first one she saw was Ivysaur, looking both stunned and pleased for his friend, who had evolved into a gorgeous, massive Pidgeot.


	74. 074 Geodude

**#074 Geodude**

 _Geodude, the Rock Pokémon. Geodude can be most often found on mountain trails and fields. It will sit still in these areas, which is why it is often mistaken for a rock. It is often stepped on, and will sometimes swing its arms in anger when this occurs. When Geodude sleeps deeply, it buries itself halfway into the ground. Once buried, it will not awaken even if someone steps on it. In the morning, Geodude rolls downhill in search of food._

Having left the beach and summer clothing behind, Nurse Isabelle, back in her normal attire, was now headed for the mountains and, somewhere within those mountains, Pewter City. She had an appointment with the Gym Leader, Brock. Flicking through her notebook, an hour's walk away from town, she checked her notes on him: womanizer, with a few of his Pokémon currently in town. Some Zubat and some Geodude. The rest were not in the Gym at the moment, so she'd have to come back another time. She'd wanted to postpone the meeting, but Brock had emailed that he needed her to look at his Geodude, for a second opinion. So here she was, nearly at Pewter City.

Despite the eternal layer of dust and dirt in the town, the air always felt crisp and clean. The mountains surrounding it never lost their icy peaks, which created quite a picturesque look.

As she walked through town, she cast a wry look at the Pokémon centre. She could see the balcony on which she had spent a lot of time after Beedrill had died on her. She still regretted being unable to save it.

At the entrance of the Pewter Gym, Isabelle was received by a Joy, who wasn't wearing her nurse outfit. With jeans and a pink jumper, she looked rather casual. But one thing struck Isabelle as odd. Instead of her normally flat belly, this Joy's was bulged. Not quite like fat, but it was too soon to assume the other possibility.

"My husband, Brock, is inside," Joy told her as they entered the shabby-looking Gym, which was made mostly of rocks and wood.

"You married him?" Isabelle asked surprised as they made their way through the place which was littered with rocks.

"Hmhm," Joy hummed affirmatively. "I could not resist him. One who courts with a passion burning brighter than Charizard's fire is simply irresistible." She said with a slight swoon. Isabelle looked a little sceptic.

"And had he declared this love to any other women?"

Joy shook her head. "Not since we married. He only has eyes for me. Well, us." She said as she stroked her bulging stomach.

"Congratulations," Isabelle said, sincerely.

"Thank you."

Brock was to be found in the main area, where most battles were held. He sat on the floor, among the rocks, talking to another rock. Upon closer inspection, it was a Geodude who had burrowed himself into the ground, seemingly upset.

Isabelle approached and knelt down in the dust to look at the Geodude while Brock behind her kissed Joy's stomach and then her full on the mouth. Ignoring the slick sounds, she gently stroked the Geodude to attract his attention. And indeed, his eyes opened to look at the nurse. Isabelle sent it a gentle smile.

Geodude looked rather the worse for wear. It was obvious he had been in a lot of battles because he was all chipped and worn away, making him smaller than he should be.

"You're a tough one, aren't you? Look at you. All these battle scars. Surely, Brock is very proud with a Pokémon like you." Upon Izzy's piercing look, Brock nodded eagerly. "See? I bet you're the toughest Geodude in this entire Gym, maybe even of all Pewter or all of these mountains!"

With his ego puffed up, Geodude came out of the hole, showing the full extent of his injuries.

"Those little pebbles that call themselves Pewter Gym Geodude could learn a lot from you. And as the Senior Geodude, it's your task to guide them to be the best they can be!"

"Geo!"

When Geodude had hovered off to join the other Geodude training a bit further away, Isabelle turned to Brock.

"He'll need to retire soon. He's too chipped away and all that's gone won't grow back. Not for Geodude at least."

With a despairing look, he nodded. "I'll tell him soon, okay? Let him live a bit longer in this glory you've convinced him of."

Agreeing, Isabelle left Brock to join Joy for tea. They had a lot to catch up on.


	75. 075 Graveler

**#075 Graveler**

 _Graveler, the Rock Pokémon. The evolved form of Geodude. Its preferred locomotion is rolling, specifically because it is a slow walker. It often rolls down mountain paths at high speeds, crushing objects in the way and stopping by running into huge rocks. If it breaks or shatters, it has the ability to restore itself overtime. Graveler climbs a mountain from base to summit, feasting on rocks all the while. Upon reaching the peak, Graveler rolls down to the bottom. Graveler can be often found on mountain trails._

After Nurse Isabelle had finished tea with Mrs Brock, previously known as Joy, the Pewter Gym Leader himself joined the ladies. He hadn't been able to tell his senior Geodude just yet and asked if Isabelle would join them for dinner. Joy explained that Brock loved to cook for as many people as possible. After agreeing with genuine delight, Isabelle watched Brock retreat to the kitchen. The house behind the Gym looked awfully empty. From the amount of built-in beds, it was obvious this house once held many people, yet none were present at the moment. On the walls, pictures hung of kids who looked just like Brock. A female version of Brock with a basket of Pokémon eggs, a teenager Brock look-alike with a Charmander. There was even a picture of a girl holding a young Geodude, with the note underneath saying "Suzie and Geodudette", which made Isabelle giggle.

"They've all grown up and left to explore the world," Joy spoke from somewhere behind her. "As a teenager, Brock always took care of his siblings, until his father was up for the task again. Recently, Brock's father, Flint, has retired as Pewter City Gym Leader, and so Brock was summoned back from his travels to take over. Brock inherited some Pokémon from Flint and had them checked. That's how he and I met," she said with a fond smile on her face.

Because Joy seemed truly in love with the Rock-type gym leader, Isabelle smiled kindly at her. "I'm glad that it worked out for you. I hope for Brock he isn't too lonely without his siblings? Surely, he misses them a lot."

Joy nodded and stroked her stomach. "He does, but it helps that we're starting a family of our own." She laughed. "He's such a naturally caring person. I have no doubt he'll be a great father."

Behind them, in the door opening, Brock stood, smiling at his wife, who wasn't aware he was there. Then he left again, probably to check on dinner.

After a truly marvellous meal, Isabelle packed up her bag, getting ready to leave. It was getting late and Isabelle was weary from travelling since dawn. But before she'd leave, she'd be there as support when Brock would tell his Geodude it was time to let those little pebbles, as Isabelle called the younger Geodude, to take his place.

Joy and Isabelle stood a bit away, outside of hearing distance. At first, Geodude seemed happy with the compliments, obviously hearing about how well he served the Gym. But when the moment came he was told he'd have to retire for the sake of his own health, the rock looked confused for a moment before crossing his arms stubbornly, turning half away. If he could, he would have shaken his head. Both nurses watched with pain in their hearts; it was heart-breaking to see a Pokémon not wishing to retire, but he'd fall apart and die if he continued.

Then Geodude did something Isabelle had not expected him to. He began to glow as he evolved into a Graveler. Brock was also stunned. The bigger rock roared, still upset about the news.

"Brock!" Joy shouted. "Graveler can heal themselves by eating rocks. The problem is solved!"

With an ecstatic cry, Brock hugged his Graveler, causing Isabelle to wince. It looked painful, to hug such a ragged rock. To each their own, though.


	76. 076 Golem

**#076 Golem**

 _Golem, the Megaton Pokémon. The evolved form of Graveler and the final evolution of Geodude. Golem is known for rolling down from mountains. To prevent them from rolling into the homes of people downhill, grooves have been dug into the sides of mountains to serve as guideways for diverting this Pokémon's course._

Having spent the night at Pewter City Pokémon centre, Nurse Isabelle walked through the doors entirely refreshed, holding a bagel between her teeth as she made sure the tie on her braid was secured tightly. Just through the automatic doors, however, she nearly dropped her breakfast when someone leapt in front of her.

"Hey there! Going somewhere?"

It was Dominic, that sly son-of-a-Bellsprout. He was grinning smugly at Isabelle, who had nearly choked in her bagel when she became startled.

"Damn you, Dom," she glared at him when she had recovered from the shock. He merely smiled, held her bagel for her, and kissed her cream-cheese flavoured lips.

"I'm sorry. Is that better?" Smiling fondly, Isabelle could only nod. Then she took a huge bite out of her bagel, chewing firmly. It seems she was quite hungry.

"I'd like to show you something while you're around here," Dominic said as he walked with her out of town. "I really like the mountains. It's much less tame out here, since it's hard to control rocks. Grass can be controlled, woods and even rivers can be moved. But not mountains; you can't move a mountain. People have to submit to nature here, whereas nature seems to play a secondary role in the cities or on the plains."

As they walked, they saw Machop play-fighting by throwing rocks and Geodude at each other, the latter merely taking this with a sullen frown and crossed arms. However, this apparently was not what Dom wanted to show her.

Dominic led her deeper into the mountains, hiking over a trail as they breathed in the fresh air. At first, Isabelle heard them before she saw them, but when Dominic pointed them out, she watched in awe.

Golem were feeding themselves by climbing a steep mountainside. Whenever they lost their footing, they withdrew into their thick shell and rolled noisily down the hill. At least four Golem were at it, who stayed together like a pack or a family.

As they walked along, Dom took a printed email from his pocket and showed it to Izzy so she could take a brief look. It was written slightly sloppily with some spelling errors, but nothing major. What was cute was the fact it started with "Dear big brother!"

"You've got a younger brother?"

Dom nodded, smiling. "Yeah. His name is Hal - Hamilton actually, but he prefers Hal - and he's still back home in Johto. He says he's going to try for the Johto League soon. Getting all the badges and so on. It's a good plan."

"Nice! How old is he?"

"15, now. Father made us wait before we could set out into the world. I do believe he already picked up his starter, though. I can't remember what it was…"

Isabelle nodded. "I was sixteen when I went to the Nursing School and had worked with Mum in the Celadon centre since I was a young girl."

They smiled and continued walking, downhill this time, till they came to a nice place with water and grass, like a little oasis among these grey mountains. Unfortunately, Dom's phone rang. He walked away as he took it, which was probably just a habit. When he came back, his face was grim.

"I have to go. There's been an emergency," he said. Isabelle couldn't suppress a whine.

"Really?" It sounded more pitiful than she intended it.

Dominic frowned at her. "These Pokémon need me. You of all people should understand. You dropped our date because the Abra needed help."

"Are you holding it against me I rushed to their aid? They were sick!"

"No! Argh," He fisted his black hair. "I'm just saying that we both put our work first. I'm not accusing you of anything. Oh, you're frustrating! Look, I've got to go, urgently." With that, he stormed off.

Too upset to go after him, Isabelle sat down in the grass near the pond, watching a Psyduck float on its back, totally uncaring of the screaming fight that just happened nearby. Only when storm clouds came rolling in did Isabelle return to Pewter, hoping not to run into Dom. She didn't want to tell him she had realised he was right.

* * *

 **Author's Note: Welcome at chapter 76. I can't believe it. We're halfway. When I started, I ran into so many problems I never expected to come this far, but since 2016 started, this story has been extremely healthy. I'd like to thank everyone who has supported me. Your help kept this story alive.**


	77. 077 Ponyta

**#077 Ponyta**

 _Ponyta, the Fire Horse Pokémon. Ponyta is very weak at birth. It can barely stand up. This Pokémon becomes stronger by stumbling and falling to keep up with its parent._

Just before dawn, Nurse Isabelle set out with a mission. She had been reading up on this for a long time and today was the day. With a backpack filled with medical supplies and extra food, she started the hike that would lead her deep into the mountains.

The first time Isabelle had discovered the phenomenon she was hoping to encounter today was when she was studying for a final exam at nursing school. It was on the ideal temperature of Ponyta's fire, and how to maintain it. On the tiniest side note, it mentioned that if the fire was blue, it was usually a sign of hotter than normal fire, but also that it could be affected by certain minerals. And that's where the search began.

Today, about three years after that first hint that started her search, Isabelle hoped she was about to see it with her own eyes. Some of the deeper mountains around here contained special minerals. Nothing exciting there. But there was one where copper could be found in the mountain. Several mines have been dug and abandoned, making it a paradise for Geodude, Zubat, and maybe even the odd Clefairy. On the plains of this mountain supposedly lived a herd of Ponyta, and Isabelle was going to find them.

The place where most Pokémon felt safe was the place where humans could not come easily. So, therefore, it was quite a task to get there, but Isabelle would not give up. She longed to meet the Ponyta of the copper mountain and see if her research proved to be true.

It was well past noon when she finally made it. She could not have chosen a better place herself. Some water ran down the copper mountain through the little valley she was at, which was still at quite some height. Lush grass grew here which was a delightful change from all the rough stone that had scraped Izzy's hands. And the best thing about this place just came running past.

An entire herd of blue-flamed Ponyta came running past, making Isabelle stare in awe. They were even more gorgeous than she had previously imagined. Having lived for generations on this mountain, the copper was in their blood and bones. Their flames, according to Isabelle's estimations, would burn blue long enough to last them for a lifetime. To study these magnificent creatures some more, Isabelle was going to catch one. Also, her feet hurt from walking everywhere, so a horse would be very useful if she had to be somewhere quickly.

Having spoken to Wartortle last night, the plan was simple and clear. Only one direct hit of her Hydro Pump should be enough to weaken a Ponyta sufficiently so it could be caught. Izzy did not want to extinguish the flames. Their chance came when the herd came running past again. This time, one of the Ponyta was a bit behind, making it a perfect target. Holding the familiar, spherical shape of the Pokéball in her hand, Isabelle readied herself for action. With a command, Wartortle unleashed her Hydro Pump, indeed hitting the Ponyta hard enough to knock it over and away from the herd. Before it even knew what had happened, Isabelle had tossed the ball at it. After three wiggles, Isabelle was the proud owner of a copper mountain Ponyta.

Running for it, Isabelle grabbed the Pokéball and left the valley, in case the rest of the herd might get upset with her. As soon as she was on firm, level ground again, Isabelle summoned Ponyta from her ball. The fiery horse was gorgeous. Her blue fire was accented by her milky white fur. However, it seemed to be very timid. When Isabelle reached out her hand at it to look at its teeth to see how old it was, the horse shied away, taking a couple steps back. This was a problem.

Keeping her hands behind her back, Isabelle merely watched it from a few steps away. Judging from the leanness of the limbs, this was a young Ponyta, maybe a year or two old. It also was clearly a female, judging from the lack of … ahem … gear. Slowly, Isabelle reached out her hand.

"Hey there, Ponyta. No need to be scared of me. I'm sorry if I hurt you. Will you be my friend?" She said in the softest, gentlest voice she could manage. Very, very slowly, Ponyta reached out her snout and nuzzled her hand. The two had a long way to go before Isabelle could ride her gorgeous mount.

* * *

 **Author's Note: And now, for the results of the competition for an OC appearance in one of the Legendary Birds chapters.**

 **On the first place: DragonFelicis. He continues to wow me with his imaginative and critical way of viewing the Pokémon world. Every single comment he's made in the time I've known him was spot on and his entries for this competition were no less amazing.**

 **On the second place: The Dragon Queen. Quite a late-comer, but better late than never. With her critical editor's eye at my chapters, she's helped me improve my story, and gave me an idea so great I had to call my beta right away to tell him of it.**

 **And last, but not least: Princesslostsoul. This last spot was very hard to give away, since many fought for it. Many obstacles had to be overcome. Clichés had to be avoided, overdone ideas to be discarded, and steals from the anime had to be tracked down In the end, (basically, 15 minutes ago) my beta and I decided that Princesslostsoul's idea fit this story best.**

 **Congratulations to the winners. Message me!**

 **To those who did not win, do not despair. If there is a lot of interest in it, I'll host another competition in the Johto series.**


	78. 078 Rapidash

**#078 Rapidash**

 _Rapidash, the Fire Horse Pokémon. The evolved form of Ponyta. Rapidash usually can be seen casually cantering in the fields and plains. However, when this Pokémon turns serious, its fiery manes flare and blaze as it gallops its way up to 150 mph._

Ever since leaving the mountains surrounding Pewter City, Ponyta's timidness worsened. Nurse Isabelle seemed to have either underestimated her age, or had a really insecure Fire-type on her hands. Regardless of the reason, the two had a long road ahead before they could be anywhere near the bond Izzy shared with Ivysaur.

Once a week or so, Isabelle called her mother, Elenor Evergreen. The ex-nurse knew a lot about Pokémon psychology and even more about the bond between parent and child. She was the one who suggested that Izzy should go to Cinnabar Island, to take Ponyta to Blaine's herd. All of those Pokémon were captured and could help Ponyta settle, as long as she wasn't rejected for the colour of her fire.

Sitting on the deck of the ferry that went between Vermillion and Cinnabar, Isabelle remembered the way she ran away from Blaine the previous time she had been there. Blaine needed someone, but Isabelle could not be that person. Besides, she was too young for the grey-haired man. Now that Pidgeotto had evolved into a Pidgeot, he had no trouble keeping up with the ferry, despite the sea wind. He seemed to relish it. Battling the strongest winds was one of the things that appeared to bring him joy.

As Isabelle disembarked from the boat, Blaine stood there with crossed arms, waiting for her. She had called him yesterday to let him know what she came to do, and here he was. When she approached him, he stiffly nodded his head.

"Miss Evergreen."

"Thank you for receiving me, sir," Isabelle replied with a slight bow of her head.

Then they headed up the mountain. They had agreed not to show Ponyta off in public, since she would attract a lot of attention. While attention wasn't bad necessarily for Isabelle, Ponyta probably would be unable to handle it yet.

When they were a suitable distance away from the town, Blaine handed Isabelle a fireproof bridle and went to stand a little distance away. Temporarily swinging the bridle over her shoulder, Isabelle summoned Ponyta. Upon appearing on the mountain in a vastly different place from where she grew up, the fiery horse reared in panic.

"Shh, Ponyta. Calm down. I'm here," Isabelle soothed her, being careful not to get too close to those hooves. A familiar voice seemed to help a little, causing Ponyta to stop rearing. She showed the horse the bridle she held. "I have this for you. It'll guide you up this foreign mountain. You're perfectly safe while you're with me, okay?" As she spoke, she carefully put the bridle over her frightened horse's head and fastened it gently. "See, not so bad, right? You can look all you like while we walk. We're on an island. Land surrounded by sea. Isn't that cool, Ponyta?"

Blaine watched her carefully as she interacted with the newest and youngest member of her team. She didn't seem to be doing much wrong or else he would have said it.

Somewhere near the Cinnabar Island Gym, there was an area fenced off. That's where he kept his Ponyta and Rapidash herd. The area was rather huge on such a small island, but as the Gym Leader, one could get away with a lot. Isabelle led her own Ponyta through the gate and took the rope off, leaving her free to explore. Moving back to sit on the fence, Isabelle watched anxiously to see whether her fire horse was accepted.

One of the Rapidash, looking truly magnificent with its fiery mane, approached the young, shaking horse. Despite her odd looks, Ponyta was greeted with a nuzzle of the head before she was guided to the rest of the herd to run with them.

"That's my lady," Blaine said, leaning on the fence next to her. "The very first Ponyta I ever caught. She's the leader of the herd and has been looking out for every addition. If anyone will make your Ponyta at ease, it'll be her."

Isabelle smiled, watching her Ponyta run with the others of her kin. She looked so much happier. There were times she fell behind a bit, but unlike her own herd, this one slowed down to prevent her from trailing too much.

"Captured Pokémon are much closer than wild ones, aren't they?" Isabelle asked, causing Blaine to hum affirmatively.

As her blue-fired Ponyta grew stronger and more confident in the herd, Blaine taught Isabelle how to ride a horse on his lady Rapidash. Izzy couldn't have asked for a gentler horse. Whenever she made a mistake, Rapidash corrected it for her. This way, she was able to feel how Rapidash moved as she was taught the correct way to guide a horse.

On her final day on Cinnabar Island, Isabelle rode her Ponyta for the first time. While her own horse was much less self-confident, they managed to ride decently, using the instructions Blaine gave. Still, they made mistakes in moments of miscommunication. After the second time Isabelle fell off, Blaine called it a day. Feeling rather sore all over, Isabelle was inclined to agree.

With Ponyta in her ball for the first time in days, Isabelle shook Blaine's hand.

"I apologise for my behaviour the previous times you were here. I acted out of place. It's just… you look so much like my late wife. Anyway, I want you to have this. It's the bridle I loaned you. It's nothing fancy, but you can use it until you can afford a better one. Keep your Ponyta close. She's one of a kind and can be a very loyal friend to you once you two feel confident around each other." Blaine told her.


	79. 079 Slowpoke

**#079 Slowpoke**

 _Slowpoke, the Dopey Pokémon. Slowpoke uses its tail to catch prey by dipping it in water at the side of a river. However, this Pokémon often forgets what it's doing and often spends entire days just loafing at water's edge._

On the boat back from Cinnabar Island, Nurse Isabelle could be found on the deck. She was sitting at the railing, having slid her legs underneath, feeling the sea spatter droplets against the soles of her bare feet. Her arms held onto the railing at chest height and her head rested on her arms, watching the island behind them grow smaller and smaller.

The sea wind tasted salty on her lips and messed up her hair in the best way. It was nearing dusk and Isabelle wished to miss no moment of the gorgeous sunset over sea. The sky coloured from pale blue to a gorgeous rosy/purple colour that she had yet to find in any Pokémon. With every minute, the colour changed as the sun sank deeper behind the horizon.

Next to her, a Slowpoke sat. Not impressed with this show of nature, he sat with his back towards the sunset, dangling his tail off the side of the boat, where Isabelle's own feet hung. Waving her hand in front of his face, she wasn't entirely sure whether the Slowpoke was awake or just sleeping with his eyes open. He was awfully quiet; making no other sounds than his deep breathing.

Before standing up to regain some feeling back in her legs, Isabelle stroked Slowpoke over his wet, little head. The dim Pokémon did not respond so the young nurse walked away.

As she sat on one of the benches on the ferry, putting her socks and shoes back on, a guy suddenly yelled in alarm. Trained for such things, Isabelle was on her feet in an instant and rushed over to where the guy was yelling. She found him at where she had left the Slowpoke to … whatever it had been doing. The guy was pointing at Slowpoke now, as it cradled its tail to his chest. The white part of the tail had been bitten off! As a woman fainted nearby, she stepped over her to kneel in front of the Slowpoke. Of all Pokémon to treat, Slowpoke were the easiest. While they weren't the best in telling where it hurt, they never attacked either. They're just a tiny step higher than the plush dummies the girls had trained on. Running her hand over the non-bleeding stump, Isabelle smiled and rubbed Slowpoke's head again. Then she stood up and turned to the hysterical man.

"Are you Slowpoke's trainer?" The guy nodded, suddenly in tears. Resisting the urge to roll her eyes, she showed him her ID. "I'm Nurse Isabelle, a fully trained Pokémon nurse. I want to let you know that Slowpoke is perfectly okay. This happens more often than you think, and Slowpoke's tail will grow back. They're really cool like that. So calm down. Slowpoke isn't in any pain and, in a month or so, it should have grown back."

"A month?!"

"Yes, well… Like everything Slowpoke does, regenerating also goes very slowly." She offered him a soft smile. "Don't worry. Your Pokémon is okay. Now, can someone see to this lady? I'm a Pokémon nurse, not a human nurse…" She referred to the lady who had fainted just as Isabelle had been about to check on Slowpoke. Two men carried the lady away, to revive in the captain's cabin.

With the Slowpoke in his arms, the man must have bowed to Isabelle a dozen times before he finally disembarked from the ferry. A little bit annoyed but very amused also, Izzy entered Vermillion to spend the night at the Pokémon centre. Maybe she could earn some money by doing the night shift. She was running a bit low on funds, and was not tired at all.


	80. 080 Slowbro

**#080 Slowbro**

 _Slowbro, the Hermit Crab Pokémon. The evolved form of Slowpoke. Slowbro's tail has a Shellder firmly attached with a bite. As a result, the tail can't be used for fishing anymore. This causes Slowbro to grudgingly swim and catch prey instead._

The Vermillion Pokémon centre, which Nurse Isabelle worked at for a little while, had a new care unit. Until a replacement nurse arrived, Izzy agreed to work there, for which the centre was very grateful. This new enclosure was for abandoned Pokémon, where, after they had recovered from any physical illnesses, they would be taught to trust humans and Pokémon again. So mental issues was the primary focus here.

All kinds of Pokémon came here. If a trainer dumped their Water Pokémon in the sea, for example, they came here via Vermillion harbour. Having been with a human too long, they could not join their wild kin anymore, so they sought out humans in the harbour.

The treatment centre was a separate building of the Pokémon centre, less in view of travellers. Pokémon would first have to go through the main building anyway, before being placed in the mental unit. Most Pokémon that arrived did not have pokeballs anymore, so they had to be accommodated in a different manner. There were huge tanks for the Water types, and fenced off areas for the other types. Stray Pokémon sometimes showed up as well, drawn by food left outside for just such an occasion, who were also fed and treated there.

Most Pokémon responded well to this treatment. Many were deemed ready for either release or adoption rather soon after arrival. Ivysaur helped too, talking to some downhearted Oddish. Ivy loved his human a lot, and Izzy hoped he could convince the Oddish that not all humans were bad.

On her second day, a Slowbro was brought in. This massive, pink Water-type was a very tricky case. He liked Izzy well enough, but even after a week, he did not respond at all to other trainers. It did not help that he took an especially long time to respond to anything. Isabelle could have sworn it had taken him five minutes this morning to even realise she had entered the unit.

Sitting with one of the Oddish in her lap, taking a break, Izzy noticed a woman standing in the doorway. To greet her, the young nurse stood up, causing Slowbro to hug her leg, which he occasionally did as she was about to leave for the day. Normally, Slowbro were almost as tall as she was, but this one was extraordinarily tiny, about Slowpoke size. No one really knew why, but it made it easier to handle, Izzy thought.

The woman at the door had a Slowbro of her own, who called out to Izzy's one. Over and over, they called "Sloooow" at each other, in some sort of slow form of communication. Leaving them to it, Isabelle extended her hand to the lady.

"Good day. I'm Nurse Isabelle. And who might you be?"

"My name is Lorelei of the Elite Four. I've come to check out Vermillion's answer to the great number of abandonment cases over the years. I had not expected to find the rumoured Travelling Nurse here."

Isabelle gave a soft smile. "I'm staying here for a small while. I've been here since coming back from Cinnabar, while I work here and, soon, at Vermillion Gym too. What brought you here?"

The lady with the red hair and spectacles sighed for a moment, looking at the unsure Oddish in Izzy's arms, giving it a little rub over the head. "We, as the Elite Four, are trying our best to be the good example for Pokémon trainers in the entire region. You'd never see us abuse our Pokémon. Yet people still do it, and it makes me so mad!" Her voice became frighteningly sharp as her eyes narrowed behind her spectacles. Isabelle nodded quickly.

"I've recently seen a guy drown a box of Growlithe puppies. I was too late for them, but I have been able to rescue the Abra from the Celadon Game Corner."

"That was you?"

Isabelle nodded. "Yeah. I stumbled upon them entirely accidentally, but I managed to warn the police and the caretaker was arrested." She took a step back as Lorelei shed her cool exterior to become somewhat like a Charizard with her burning eyes and fiery hair. "S-So, I'd love to help you guys with your cause. I'll do what I can. Okay?" She held out her hand.

Lorelei shook it, gripping it painfully tight. "Deal. We'll get those who harm Pokémon and make them pay!"

Lorelei scared Isabelle, very much so.


	81. 081 Magnemite

**#081 Magnemite**

 _Magnemite, the Magnet Pokémon. Magnemite attaches itself to power lines to feed on electricity. If your house has a power outage, check your circuit breakers. You may find a large number of this Pokémon clinging to the breaker box. Magnemite floats in the air by emitting electromagnetic waves from the units at its sides. These waves block gravity. This Pokémon becomes incapable of flight if its internal electrical supply is depleted._

A very long time ago, Nurse Isabelle helped a chubby sailor who had taken in a depressed Pikachu, whose spirit had been broken by something Lt Surge had said or done. It had been really scared of humans, and Isabelle had been forced to give the advice of maybe releasing Pikachu to the wild if he didn't learn to trust the Gym Trainer.

Now, back in Vermillion, Isabelle longed to see him. With a light jacket on against the chilly sea wind, she walked over the pier at the harbour part of town. Despite it being nearly midday, it felt rather early in the morning. This was probably due to the dark, stormy clouds above. All around her, sailors worked hard to get their wares safely in storage before the storm hit.

Near her, a little group worked happily, singing and laughing. The leader of the group was the same chubby sailor she had met before the winter, who traded his sorrowful look for a wide grin as he carried crates from the ships into the warehouse. Behind him, unmistakeable with his yellow colour, walked Pikachu with a far smaller box. He sang along to the general melody of the sailor's song, which suggested they sang very often. His cheeks were sparking with energy, due to good health and the approaching storm. Behind the two of them floated something that looked like a Magnemite, carrying something made of metal with his magnetism. It beeped happily along, making the sailor's song the most peculiar Isabelle had ever heard. Nevertheless, it made her happy.

"Good day, sailor. How are things?"

"Lady nurse! Bless me soul, is it really you? We're amazing, thank ye. Look at me little buddy, Pikachu! Like you said, lots of love did it for 'im. Turned back to normal, he did. Look at 'im go! I'm so proud of 'im." Putting the crate he was carrying aside, he shook her hand vigorously. "Everyone! This is the nurse I've been telling yer about. She told me not to give up on me buddy Pikachu." Many sailors came to swarm around her, hoping to be able to shake her hands. Apparently, Pikachu was now some sort of mascot of the harbour, along with Magnemite.

"I've found that little un on one of the boats we've been unloadin'. Stuck to the wall, he was. Poor guy. So I took 'im in and Pikachu and me nursed 'im back to health. Yeah, we did." He nodded proudly, grinning. "The two of them are mates now. Best mates ever. Never go anywhere without one another."

Having brought away their cargo, Pikachu leapt up onto the sailor's shoulder while Magnemite floated nearby. Both were fully charged on electricity and really well kept. Pikachu might be a bit on the chubby side and so Isabelle gave the sailor a kind warning. That only made him laugh, holding his belly.

"Sorry, lady nurse. Can't do. We all love our food. But, I'll be careful. Don't want me buddy to get ill."

When the storm broke loose, all sailors had taken shelter at the inn, having finished their work. There, they drank beer (Izzy had a cup of tea), and laughed and joked and played games. Seated on a table in the middle of the room, Isabelle was constantly handed a new Pokémon to check their health. Whenever she proclaimed one healthy, they cheered and clapped, and whenever she had a remark or a piece of advice, the owner was whistled at. It was all very good-natured, though, and Izzy couldn't stop smiling. They kept buying her a new cup of tea whenever she finished hers, or tiny snacks for her to eat. When she, in the end, hugged a Psyduck to her chest, claiming it was very cuddly and adorable, the owner went entirely red as he blushed, receiving cat calls from the other men. Despite being the only girl there, she was treated with the utmost respect, as if she were their queen. It was the most fun she'd had in days. That reminded her, though. She had to call Dom tonight, if only to check on him.


	82. 082 Magneton

**#082 Magneton**

 _Magneton, the Magnet Pokémon. The evolved form of Magnemite._ _Magneton emits a powerful magnetic force that is fatal to mechanical devices. As a result, large cities sound sirens to warn citizens of large-scale outbreaks of this Pokémon._

The morning after her night at the inn, Nurse Isabelle walked through the streets of Vermillion. She was feeling less than stellar because it had become quite late last night and her biological clock awoke her just after dawn again. Maybe she could get a nap in the afternoon. That'd be nice.

As she walked the streets just behind the harbour, she watched the little shops advertise fish cooked fresh from the sea. Since some fresh fish sounded good, she joined the queue in front of one of the shops, enjoying the gentle morning sun that warmed her face. It would become summer soon, which meant her freckles would show up again. Can't wait, she thought sarcastically. Her freckles always made her look younger than she was, which didn't help in her occupation. She idly mused whether Dom would appreciate them; they'd not yet been together long enough for him to find out.

When it was nearly her turn to order, there was an enormous noise from the next shop over. The glass in the store on her right was smashed, which had startled Isabelle so much that she leapt a meter in the air. Several Magnemite and Magneton came flying out, bouncing up and down in their flight as if both drunk and hyperactive at the same time. How they managed, Izzy did not know, but they got away. The store owner just watched them go, sighing. Leaving her place in the queue, Isabelle joined the man.

"What happened just now?"

"Those Magnemite and Magneton you saw are addicted to electricity." The man looked dejected, unsure of what could be done. "They come here and suck all the batteries empty. It's becoming really annoying, but when they're hyper like that, they're too fast to be caught."

Isabelle thought for a moment. "Don't worry. I have an idea." Then she ran off, first towards the police station. Having explained the plan to the officers, Isabelle went to the harbour as the police readied for action.

"Men! Men! I need your help!" Isabelle proclaimed as she came running over the docks. The sailors gathered around her. Most of them recognised her from the night before, and those that didn't were soon filled in by their buddies. "Surely, you know the problems the addicted Magnemite and Magneton are causing? Well, I have an idea. You're going to catch them." The men all started talking at once. Isabelle held up her hand to silence them. "The police are currently gathering electronic devices that will lure them and will attack them at my command. Then, when they're weakened, you'll catch them. They'd be so much more useful if they could work alongside of you in the harbour. Magneton are insanely powerful with their magnetism. You could pay them in batteries, and the whole town would be happy."

The men had to agree. It was a rather decent plan. Searching their pockets for Pokéballs, they followed Izzy to the main square where she had promised to meet the police. Already, some Magnemite were hovering nearby, zipping away whenever a sailor or officer got too close.

The plan worked perfectly. When all appliances were turned on, over a dozen Magnemite and half a dozen Magneton showed up, unable to resist the electricity. Using all Pokémon the police had, they launched a mass attack on the troublesome Pokémon. Whenever one went down, a sailor threw a Pokéball and caught it without effort. As Isabelle predicted, they were too drunk to be able to resist.

In less than fifteen minutes, all of the Pokémon were caught and the shops were safe again. She high-fived some of the officers and was kissed on the cheek by some of the sailors. Izzy couldn't stop grinning. It felt so good to do good, with her knowledge of Pokémon. Maybe studying the magnetism of Magnemite hadn't been such a waste of time after all.

On a less happy note, Isabelle never had her fish.


	83. 083 Farfetch'd

**#083 Farfetch'd**

 _Farfetch'd, the Wild Duck Pokémon. Farfetch'd is always seen with a stalk from a plant of some sort. Apparently, there are good stalks and bad stalks. This Pokémon has been known to fight with others over stalks._

On one of her last days in Vermillion, Nurse Isabelle was just outside of town, working with her horse. Ponyta didn't seem to like the sea wind, not on islands such as Cinnabar, nor on the docks of Vermillion, so Isabelle hadn't been able to work with her a lot. So today, Isabelle was training with her blue-fired Ponyta in the grassy plains beside Vermillion City, where the breeze was much less. The entrance to Diglett's cave laid there, too, where Isabelle had worked together with Ranger Dominic so long ago.

It had taken a while before Ponyta had allowed Isabelle to saddle her and then even longer before Izzy could mount her. But hard work pays off. There she sat, on the back of her fiery steed. She had to be careful with the reins, not to put her hands near the mane, lest she be burned. Coaxing her to walk in a gentle manner, they casually walked through the grass, getting used to each other. However, at that time, Isabelle's phone went off. Frightened by the sound, Ponyta reared and threw her off.

Pidgey flew up, frightened, when Isabelle landed heavily on her back. Groaning in pain, she picked up the phone.

"Hello!" A cheerful voice sounded.

"Hey Wendy…," Isabelle groaned.

"What happened? Why do you sound like that? Am I calling at a bad time?"

"No more than usual. You just spooked my Ponyta."

"Oh. Is your Ponyta okay?"

Isabelle had to smile and roll her eyes at the same time. "Yes, she's fine, and so am I. Thank you for asking."

"Good. Now, I wanted to ask whether you're still in Vermillion."

"Nearby, yes."

"Excellent. Can you meet me at the centre at the water, east of Vermillion?"

"When?"

"Right now?"

"For goodness sake, Wendy," Isabelle told her, sitting up. "What did you promise them?"

"I only promised that I'd help! But it's so much and … I can't do it alone."

Giving a deep sigh, Isabelle ran a hand through her messy hair. "Fine."

"You're the best, Isa. Then you can finally meet my newest Pokémon."

"And you can meet mine. That horse you scared."

"Oh, I'm sure she'll like me."

"So am I. All Pokémon seem to do."

"What can I say? I love Pokémon."

"So do I! Just not all of them love me."

"Will I see you soon?"

"You'll see me soon, Wen. Don't worry."

Hanging up, Isabelle finally got off the ground and stroked Ponyta's nose. "Ready to give it another go?"

Ponyta nickered and so Isabelle mounted her again, this time with less confidence than before. Falling had hurt, and her clothing was covered in grass stains now.

Walking briskly, they headed over to the centre Wendy had spoken about. Having been told to learn the locations of all centres, Isabelle knew which one her sandy-haired friend had meant.

The ocean was visible from here, but there was not a lot of time for Isabelle to admire it, because Ponyta still didn't like water. However, with a little nudge, Izzy managed to get her to walk over the bridge towards the centre. Wendy was waiting for her in front of the door, who rushed towards Ponyta.

"Be careful! She'll burn you!" Isabelle said as she dismounted.

"Nah. You wouldn't burn me, would you, Ponyta?" The traitorous horse neighed, nuzzling her head affectionately against Wendy's hands. "You're so gorgeous, Ponyta. Is this what all that research had been about, Isa?"

Isabelle nodded, crossly, as she folded her arms. The Fire Horse was an entirely different creature around Wendy, all playful like a foal. Sometimes, she really envied this gift her sandy-haired friend had.

Something tapped against her calf. Looking down, Isabelle saw a duck with a leek.

"Farfetch'd!"

"This one yours, Wen?"

"Hmhm." She seemed entirely too busy playing with Izzy's Ponyta to listen or answer a lot.

"Hey there, Farfetch'd. Nice to meet you. I hope you're kind to Wiggles, or what was it you called your other Pokémon?"

"Wiggly."

"Wiggly the Wigglytuff. Should have known."

After thorough introductions, Ponyta was summoned back to her ball, since she was unable to relax knowing the Pokémon centre was so near the ocean. For the rest of the day, Isabelle was doing administrative work for the centre, which was the task Wendy agreed to do. Whenever Izzy took a tiny breather, Farfetch'd would come up to her and hit her shins and calves with his leek until she started working again.

"Remember the Growlithe murder I told you about?" Isabelle started.

"Yes?"

"The guy's been caught with another box. He's been sent to jail and his Arcanine have been confiscated from him. Jenny texted me this morning, inviting me for a drink whenever I'm nearby again."

"Good. What will happen to the Arcanine and the Growlithe puppies?"

"Put up for adoption, probably? I'm not sure whether they're able to return to the wild. Maybe the police force will take them. They seem quite fond of the Growlithe line." A loud smack was heard and Isabelle groaned, bending forward to grasp her aching calf. "Go away, Farfetch'd! Leave me alone!" She snapped at the duck.


	84. 084 Doduo

**#084 Doduo**

 _Doduo, the Twin Bird Pokémon. Doduo's two heads never sleep at the same time. Its two heads take turns sleeping, so one head can always keep watch for enemies while the other one sleeps._

It was a pleasant, summery day. The sun was shining brightly and the slight breath of wind prevented it from feeling too hot. While the grass might be starting to dry out a little, most of nature was still brilliantly green. Grateful of the wonderful setting, Nurse Isabelle had returned to one of the places she found most peaceful: Professor Oak's laboratory. There was something about the endless pastures of Pokémon that made Izzy really happy.

Near her, a guy around her age was running with a wide grin on his face. His brown hair shone with a reddish glint in the sunlight. At first, Isabelle was startled, wondering what he was running away from, but then she saw a Doduo chasing him, calling out to the guy in tandem with both heads.

"Excuse me!" Isabelle called out to him. The guy came to a stop in front of her, bending over and panting hard. From the sweat on his brow, Isabelle assumed he'd been running for a while now.

"Hey there. I remember you!"

"Do you?" Isabelle tilted her head, looking at the guy pensively. There was something familiar about him…

"You checked out my Blastoise, and also Charmeleon! She was, at that time, new to the team. She's a Charizard now, and still very close to my Blastoise."

"Gary Oak!"

Gary grinned. "Yep, that's me. And this is my Doduo. He'd been bored so I'm running with him while I'm here for gramps."

Together, they walked to the laboratory. They talked about how Charmeleon, now Charizard, was doing and generally of Pokémon. While Gary went inside to get his grandfather, tea, and sandwiches, Isabelle released her Pokémon. Ivysaur went off, to find his old Ivysaur buddy he hadn't seen since leaving on this adventure with Isabelle. Wartortle headed over to one of the lakes, to enjoy herself and maybe chat with some of the other Water-types. Pidgeot hadn't been able to stretch his wings much and he now took full advantage of that. There were loads of Pidgey and Pidgeotto around, so her bird wasn't lonely either. Ponyta wasn't so sure. Now that Isabelle had begun to feel a little familiar, the horse with the blue fire stayed rather close to the nurse, seemingly nervous in new environments. Ponyta burned her fewer and fewer times every day, so Isabelle could actually hug the horse now to help her feel at ease.

"That's a magnificent Ponyta you have there. Do you mind if I take a look?" An extremely familiar voice said behind her.

"No problem, Professor."

As Oak inspected the horse, Isabelle sat down with Gary to have some tea.

"So, how is he?" Izzy asked.

"Frankly? He's exhausted. I fear his age may be catching up with him."

"He needs help?"

"Yeah. Someone full-time to help him with the Pokémon. He'd be fine if he could focus purely on the research part."

"But your grandfather loves Pokémon."

Gary sighed. "I know, but I fear that he'll get injured with no one around, every day."

"Have you talked to him about it?"

"Countless of times! He just doesn't listen. Pokémon first, he says."

Isabelle smiled wryly. She kind of was the same. Luckily, she was still young. "I'll talk to him."

Bringing the Professor some tea, Isabelle stroked Ponyta over her tense neck. "How is she?"

"Marvellous! I know I checked your research back when you were still merely a teenager, but to see it work out this well is beyond my imagination. Would copper have this influence on all Fire-types, you think?"

"Why are you asking me? You're the Professor! But yes, I do believe so. I've also seen a wild Squirtle on my travels. It was much bigger than the domestic kind we know so well. Oh," Isabelle sighed. "I'd love to be able to study environmental influences on Pokémon. I'm quite sure that River Squirtle and Sea Squirtle are different."

Oak nodded, but groaned as he rose upright, having been checking Ponyta's hooves.

"Professor! Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Isabelle. Don't worry about me."

"Wouldn't it be easier if you had an assistant? Someone with Pokémon knowledge who could do the findings for you and even take care of all of these Pokémon?"

"…That would be kind of ideal. But where to find such a person?"

"I know someone. Let me give you her email address."

When Isabelle left, riding Ponyta in a light canter, she'd left Oak Wendy Foxglove's address. She was quite sure the girl would love the job.


	85. 085 Dodrio

**#085 Dodrio**

 _Dodrio, the Triple Bird Pokémon. The evolved form of Doduo. Watch out if Dodrio's three heads are looking in three separate directions. It's a sure sign that it is on its guard. Don't go near this Pokémon if it's being wary-it may decide to peck you. Apparently, the heads aren't the only parts of the body that Dodrio has three of. It has three sets of hearts and lungs as well, so it is capable of running long distances without rest._

It had taken Nurse Isabelle a while but eventually she had called Dominic after their fight in the mountains surrounding Pewter City. One of Dom's best qualities was that he was easy to smile and slow to anger. Whatever frustration he held for her was long gone. All anxious tension Isabelle had had about calling him had been for naught. Good-naturedly, he invited her over for something fun. They'd meet in a town in between the towns where they were now and he promised had something fun planned when they got there.

Izzy's trip there was really pleasant. Pidgey tweeted in the trees as she passed by, Butterfree fluttered around, and Caterpie scurried away as Isabelle rode by on her Ponyta. When the forest cleared and the open fields began, Izzy nudged Ponyta into an easy gallop. Together, they ran. Every single day, her blue fired steed became stronger and stronger, able to carry the nurse further. The young horse also became more comfortable with the changing surroundings. Open fields were pleasant now, even if they weren't surrounded by mountains. Forests were interesting, filled with Pokémon she'd never seen before. Once, Isabelle had had to wait for half an hour as Ponyta met and toyed around with a brave Sandshrew.

Riding up into the town, Isabelle was met with cheers and greetings as she rode in on her horse. People seemed generally happy to see her, which made the nurse feel guilty for not even knowing the name of the town. Some villagers pointed her in a direction, presumably to the centre of the town. There, she saw a man with a Dodrio; the human and the Pokemon were of the same height. That black mop of hair combined with that lean frame was unmistakable. Nearby, she descended from Ponyta's back and swung her arms around his neck from the back.

"Guess who?" She asked, playfully.

"Ehm. Santa?"

"What? No!"

Grinning, he turned around. He hadn't been able to shave in a few days and sported a bit of scruff on his cheeks which made him look much older. It suited him. Tenderly, she stroked the scar underneath his left eye, of which he did not want to tell her the story of, just yet.

"Just kidding, baby. Glad you could make it," he told her, kissing her sweetly. "Now, who's this gorgeous lady? Look at you." Admiringly, he circled Ponyta. "Where did you get this beauty from, Izz?"

"I can't tell you. You'd want one of your own."

"Well, of course. She's magnificent."

"She truly is. Ponyta is very young, but has been raised in a herd that grazes on a mountain that's rich with copper. That's what caused this colour of flame. Because they've been living there for a long time, the copper might be permanently in their veins. If not, I expect her fire to return to normal any day. Also, in theory, if I feed her something with strontium, her fire will be a gorgeous wine-red colour. I'm afraid it might poison her, though, so I have not tried it."

Isabelle was rather interested in the effects of the environment on Pokémon, such as the Sea Squirtle, and tended to go on for a very long time about it. Dominic, however, listened patiently and with interest. With a sheepish smile, Isabelle realised she'd been ranting a little.

"I'm sorry. Listening to that probably wasn't why you called me here."

"Don't apologise. I love hearing you talk. Anyway, I'm sure you've noticed the excitement of the people and the decorations at all. This town hosts Pokémon racing, and I'd like to invite you to a race. At first, I planned on doing it both on Dodrio, but now you've got a Ponyta, it's even more perfect. The little lady would love the competition, from what I've been taught about them."

And like that, Isabelle found herself at the starting line next to Dominic on a Dodrio. Truth be told, Izzy was much more comfortable in the saddle than Dom looked on that three-headed bird. Instead of being scared of the noise, Ponyta seemed to revel in it. The excitement swept her up when she realised she'd be racing someone, like she probably had with the other foals of her herd, back at home.

"Go!" The announcer shouted and the two were off. Dodrio was a bit slow to start, having been grumbling at his heads, so Isabelle took the lead. Effortlessly, Ponyta accelerated into a fast but rhythmic pace as her hooves clopped on the street. The route was a very short one. Just two laps around the village, allowing all town folk to get a good look.

By the time Isabelle entered her last lap, Dom was playing catch up behind her. His inexperience with this particular Dodrio made him slower than Izzy and her Ponyta. She dared even say that she and Ponyta had established a bond of trust, sometime before this race. It might even have happened in the run this morning. Anyway, Dominic came very close, but just near the finish line, the sad head from Dodrio burned his beak on Ponyta's tail and flinched. The stumble in pace allowed Isabelle to win with ease.

She was greeted with cheers from what seemed like all of the townsfolk. Apparently, bets had been placed on her and all over, people were rushing to claim their winnings, or grumbling to themselves that they should never have trusted that floppy-haired lout. So that's why this town liked the races so much. Gambling was their income.

As Isabelle fed and watered Ponyta, brushing her short coat as the horse drank, other people raced each other. One race involved a boy on a Nidorino and a girl on a Nidorina. There were even people who raced whose Caterpie was the fastest (they only did one lap or else they'd be there all day). Eventually, the inevitable happened. A girl on a Doduo got in an accident as she was, according to onlookers, cut off by her opponent.

As Isabelle ran to the scene, the girl sat on the ground, cradling her scraped knees. Tear marks on her cheeks told Izzy she'd been bawling her eyes out earlier but she was merely sniffling now. Good, thought Izzy. The noise would further aggravate the Doduo. One of the heads was perfectly okay but the other one had been smashed into a wall or the ground or something and hung limply. Some blood dripped down its beak, as the other head watched with concern.

Gently, Isabelle cupped the injured head. It seemed to be in great pain. As Izzy stroked it over its head to check the cut, it cried out in pain, resulting in the other head to peck Izzy hard in her shoulder. In pain, Izzy cursed hard enough to make some people chuckle, but she did not punish the other head for it. He merely tried to protect himself. Or was it themselves?

Never mind the identity of Doduo, it seemed to have a fractured skull. That wasn't something a simple potion could solve, so Isabelle fed the other head a narcotic berry, to make both of the heads fall asleep. Just as their eyes closed, the ambulance of the Pokémon centre of the nearest city arrived to take over. Giving her findings to the paramedic Chansey, Isabelle accepted a cloth to clean her bloody hands.

From behind, Dom wrapped his arms around her waist. He'd been watching on nervously, close enough to jump in if need be, but without getting in the way. "It's never a quiet day with you, is it?"

"It's not my fault this happened. Accidents happen whether I'm around or not."

He kissed her neck. "I know, baby. I'm just very proud of my girl."

* * *

 **Author's Note: An idea in this chapter has been supplied by PrincessLostSoul.**

 **Editor's comment: May the Princess find her soul one day.**


	86. 086 Seel

**#086 Seel**

 _Seel, the Sea Lion Pokémon. Seel hunts for prey in the frigid sea underneath sheets of ice. When it needs to breathe, it punches a hole through the ice with the sharply protruding section of its head._

Because the Joys were usually too busy to leave their centres unattended, Nurse Isabelle took the house-calls from various people with sick or injured Pokémon. When she was in Cerulean, the Three Sensational Sisters called from Cerulean gym. Despite the fact that the girls were rather shallow, they did care about their Pokémon. The Gym always so awfully humid, though.

Upon arriving at the Water-type Gym, she was greeted kindly. They invited her to release her Water-types and to join them for lemonade at the massive pool as they sat on the bleachers. Isabelle could see why she'd been called, though, as the girls chatted along. In the middle of the pool floated a white shape upside down in the water. Wartortle, who had been released, swam around it, seemingly worried despite her usual aloofness. A Poliwag and a Poliwhirl trod water nearby, too, watching over their sick friend.

The three girls did not even notice as Isabelle walked down the bleachers to kneel down at the edge of the pool. Behind her, the Sensational Sisters were talking about an event that was going to happen in Cerulean, today. Starting in the afternoon, there would be a festival which focussed on the beauty of Pokémon. That got Wartortle's attention, who peeked up from the water to listen to the sisters.

"Wartortle." Isabelle called for her Water-type. No response.

"Wartortle!" Still nothing. Her Wartortle was almost hypnotised by the talk of the beauty competition.

Isabelle made a splash by slapping her hand on the water, which actually hurt. Startled, the Poliwag fled, the Poliwhirl called out its name before swimming away, and it even got Wartortle's attention who swam over to her. The Seel in the middle of the pool did not respond, though.

"Wartortle. Let me make a deal with you. You help me with Seel over there, and we'll go to that fancy fare later, okay? Now, push Seel over to me and keep him in place. I don't want it floating off."

Wartortle has never helped her so well. This is what their partnership could have been had things not gone differently. She pushed Seel to the edge where Izzy was sitting, with her medical bag open. Using a stethoscope, she checked Seel's heart and lungs. When she came to her stomach, though, she heard something out of place. It seemed the little guy had eaten something weird and felt really, really sick now. If only he could throw up what it was, he could feel better instantly.

With her face scrunched up in distaste, Isabelle gave it one of the pills she preferred not to use. The body absolutely hated it and made whoever took it throw up immediately. While Wartortle held it still, Isabelle cradled his head and fed it the tiny pill. It worked miraculously quick. Within a few seconds, she had the Water-type barfing all over the place. It got in the pool, it hit Wartortle, and even Izzy's trousers and pants reeked of puke and chocolate. It had been chocolate what the Pokémon had eaten.

"Ew!" The sisters behind her supplied. Seel, however, seemed to feel totally fine again, started clapping its flippers while excitedly calling.

"Daisy, can you turn the extra filtering in the pool? Lily, you should call the janitor to have this cleaned up. Violet, I'd like a shower. Could you show me the way to one?"

The girls did not dare to defy a woman covered in barf. As the girls cleaned up their Gym, Isabelle and Wartortle shared a shower. They were both girls, anyway, and being a travelling Nurse had long since eroded Izzy's modesty around her team. After Izzy's clothing was dumped in the laundry, to be done in a few hours, Isabelle knelt down to wash Wartortle's shell as the water ran over both of them. They stayed in a bit longer than usual, taking great care not to smell foul anymore.

Dressed in jeans and a three-quarter sleeved shirt in Rattata purple, Izzy checked on Seel one more time. The little guy was swimming around excitedly - in a clean pool, fortunately - as he ate for the first time in days.

"No more chocolate," Isabelle told the girls sternly.

"I have no idea where he got it from but indeed, no more chocolate."

"Now, Wartortle, are you ready to go to that fair? Girls, we'll be back later to pick up my clothing from the washing. Thank you, again." And then Isabelle left with Wartortle excitedly walking behind her.


	87. 087 Dewgong

**#087 Dewgong**

 _Dewgong, the Sea Lion Pokémon. The evolved form of Seel. Dewgong loves to snooze on bitterly cold ice. The sight of this Pokémon sleeping on a glacier was mistakenly thought to be a mermaid by a mariner long ago. Its body is covered with a pure white fur. The colder the weather, the more active it becomes._

With Wartortle at her side, Nurse Isabelle walked through the streets of Cerulean City Centre. Around a square in the center of town uncountable stalls had been erected. Among them there were, of course, food stalls that offered all kinds of snacks for both humans and Pokémon. With her team in mind, Isabelle purchased small bags of food, for a Grass-type, a Flying-type, and a Fire-type. She offered to get Wartortle some, too, but the Water-type was too excited to eat.

Other stalls sold ribbons, dresses, and other clothing for both human and Pokémon. There was shell polish, rock polish, brushes, and anything else one can imagine in Pokémon care. Being a nurse, she had most of these items already, so she did not need these fancier ones; much to Wartortle's chagrin.

Ahead, there were advertisements of the main event of the beauty convention: a beauty competition. That drove Wartortle entirely wild. As soon as Isabelle read the poster to her, she started yanking on Izzy's sleeve and exclaiming excitedly while pointing at the competition and herself.

"Don't tell me you want to join?" Wartortle nodded furiously. "I don't know how to be in a competition, especially a beauty competition! The best I can do for you is to buy us tickets so you can watch, maybe even meet the contestants. As a Nurse, I can possibly get inside."

Although Wartortle was very disappointed in the fact that she would not be joining today, the idea to get behind the scenes was enough to keep her from moping. As they walked on, towards the stadium, they passed a fountain. There, a girl was shrieking as if she was set on fire, or doused with cold water. Upon approaching the ruckus, it appeared to the latter. In the fountain in the middle of the square was a gorgeous Dewgong. He was in the water, enjoying the spray from the spouts. The water made his pure white fur glisten gorgeously. The girl standing near the fountain looked furious. She was dressed in a pink ball gown and absolutely soaking wet.

"Come on, Dewgong! Stop playing! We need to get ready for the competition!"

"Dew gong-gong-gong!" He cried out happily,

"What's going on?" Isabelle asked as she approached, lifting Wartortle on the edge of the fountain where she sat primly. Behind her, Dewgong was still enjoying the torrent of the water spouts.

"Dewgong and I were supposed to enter the beauty competition but he never listens!" The girl stomped her foot. "He'd rather play in the water or chase others than sit still and look pretty or do as I ask."

The girl did not look much older than 16. But with her soaked dress and her uncooperative Pokémon, she looked close to tears.

"Let me tell you what. My Wartortle here would love to join, but I'm no Coordinator. I'm just a Nurse. What if I watch over your Dewgong for you and you go win this competition with Wartortle? How's that? Okay with you, Wartortle?"

Both the girl and the turtle gasped in unison.

"Really? That'd be great!"

"Wartortle! Wartortle!"

That's how Isabelle found herself holding a Pokéball that was not her own in the audience of some stadium. It was actually rather fun to watch. While some treated their Pokémon in a questionable manner, most Coordinators had given their Pokémon lots of love and care and it showed. Most Pokémon used were of the naturally pretty kind: Meowth and Persian, Vulpix and Ninetales, Ponyta and Rapidash, among others. Then the girl and Wartortle were up. She had polished Wartortle's shell, brushed out her tail, and even gave her a very pretty ice-blue ribbon. But the thing that made Wartortle look the prettiest was the look of intense happiness on her face. It charmed the judges, too, since some other Pokémon looked like they'd rather not be there.

As Isabelle watched the girl, who apparently was called Rosalind, she reflected on Wartortle's future. It was very clear Wartortle was much happier with Rosalind than she'd ever been with Izzy. Pensively, she stroked Dewgong's Pokéball. After the competition, which Rosalind and Wartortle had won, Isabelle approached her with a smile, still holding the ball.

"Congratulations! Rosalind, right?"

"Thank you so much! Your Wartortle was amazing!" The girl gushed.

"Yes, about that. This might come as a shock, but I'd like to propose a trade. Wartortle hasn't been happy as my Pokémon. As a nurse, my life is not very glamorous. More often than not, it's filthy and hard. Wartortle does not like that. She prefers to be pampered and beautiful, so to say. However, your Dewgong is very useful for that. He's very healthy and strong enough to carry me as I work in the water. So will you trade me your Dewgong for my Wartortle?"

The girl looked down at Wartortle for a moment, who actually looked rather hopeful, the little traitor. Then she faced Izzy and nodded. "Let's do it."

After they'd traded at the Pokémon centre, both Pokémon were released in the lobby. Isabelle knelt in front of Wartortle to give her one last hug.

"Farewell, Wartortle. It's been good having you. I hope Rosalind treats you well. Do you want to say goodbye to any of the team?" Wartortle shook her head. "Not even Dominic's Raichu?" She shrugged. Isabelle could tell she was actually trying to stay strong, maybe even reminding herself that this is what she wanted. "All right then. Maybe we'll see you soon." Isabelle stood up. "Rosalind. Let's exchange email addresses, so we know where to find each other if we feel the need to visit old friends again."

Rosalind, who had been hugging Dewgong, wiped her eyes and nodded. "Yeah, let's. Please take care of Dewgong for me. He might not have shown his best side today, but he's a sweetheart. I promise."

Isabelle smiled. "I believe you. Farewell, Rosalind. Dewgong, return."


	88. 088 Grimer

**#088 Grimer**

 _Grimer, the Sludge Pokémon. Grimer's sludgy and rubbery body can be forced through any opening, however small it may be. This Pokémon enters sewer pipes to drink filthy wastewater. Grimer emerged from the sludge that settled on a polluted seabed. This Pokémon loves anything filthy. It constantly leaks a horribly germ- infested fluid from all over its body._

In the days after the incident with the Ekans, Isabelle got some exercise by walking around Celadon City with a lonely Pokémon. That way, Isabelle could recover without lying in bed all day. Working with Pokemon had always cheered up the nurse's daughter and, in time, it would do so again this time.

Today, Izzy was walking with a Gloom. She had evolved before her Oddish sisters have, and as a result of that, she has been cast out their little group. Still, she was a loving, little girl and liked to hold Izzy's hand with the arms she grew after her evolution.

Because her good friend Erika loved Grass-types, like her mother, Isabelle decided to visit the Celadon Gym grounds. However, at the Gym itself, the trainers told her that they had not seen the girl since morning. They reassured the young blonde that Erika was probably wandering the grounds surrounding the gym.

"Gloom Gloom!" The slightly-smelly Pokémon next to Izzy suddenly spoke up, pointing in some direction before heading off. Thanking the trainers at the door, Isabelle followed the surprisingly speedy Gloom.

The small Gloom led her to the older parts of the city, with loads of abandoned warehouses and sheds. Pokémon such as Mankey and Primeape liked to hang around here, because the buildings made a great playground. The little girl was worried for her friend. Erika was not supposed to come here. Their mothers had told them often. Still, Gloom rushed on. The place had an awful stench, too. It smelled like there was an open sewer or something was rotting. Trash, maybe? Whatever it was, it smelled foul. Then they heard a scream.

It came from one of the buildings. There, a foul-smelling blob of goo was roaring threateningly, which caused the female voice to scream out again. Gloom launched a Stun Spore to the Grimer of her own accord, while Isabelle dragged the girl away. Erika looked terrible. She was scraped all over and very filthy. Her mother would be so mad. As Izzy guided Erika outside, Gloom defeated and chased away the Grimer. When it came back, it reached up for Erika's hand, holding it while the girl cried.

"Don't cry, Eri. We're okay. See? Gloom is okay, too!" Izzy said.

"Gloom Gloom!"

The entire way home, Gloom held Erika's hand, even when they arrived at the Gym and were yelled at by Erika's mother. Izzy found the Gym Leader very scary, unlike her own, gentle mother. She was too young to realise this kind of sternness was because the Gym Leader had been worried sick and was really alarmed to see her daughter injured and filthy; she thought it was just anger.

Izzy received a frown from her own mother when Elenor came along after Erika's mother had called, to explain what happened. Because Erika needed to be bathed, Izzy was sent home. However, Gloom did not want to leave. She kept calling her name as she stood as close to Erika as possible, who hid behind the Grass-type.

"Mommy, Gloom saved Erika. I think she wants to stay with Eri," Izzy told Nurse Elenor Evergreen.

"Is that so? Astrid, what do you think?"

"Well, I have been trying to get Erika to open up to a Pokémon. I mean, it's about time she starts to learn how to deal with one. If Gloom is so dedicated to her, they both could learn a lot. Is Gloom up for adoption?"

"Yeah, she is. Came from a band of Oddish, but this one evolved when the others did not and so she was cast out." Elenor looked rather sad to see it happen.

"I see. Let's go inside to get the paperwork done. I'll sign her as property of the Gym, for now, until Erika's old enough to adopt it from the Gym."

Utterly excited, Izzy hugged Erika, who didn't seem to realise what was going on just yet. Luckily, she did over time, and that Gloom was still a very good friend to Erika to this day.


	89. 089 Muk

**#089 Muk**

 _Muk, the Sludge Pokémon. The evolved form of Grimer. From Muk's body seeps a foul fluid that gives off a nose-bendingly horrible stench. Just one drop of this Pokémon's body fluid can turn a pool stagnant and rancid. This Pokémon's favourite food is anything that is repugnantly filthy. In dirty towns where people think nothing of throwing away litter on the streets, Muk are certain to gather._

Since it had been Mother's Day recently, Nurse Isabelle was on her way to visit Nurse Elenor Evergreen in Celadon City. Due to minor troubles on the way, Izzy was a few days late, but her mother always understood. Once, they had celebrated Christmas a month late due to trouble at the centre. Despite the inconvenience, Izzy was rather fond of these memories. They made the holidays special.

Because Isabelle had not shown her mother her newest team members yet, she showed up on her Ponyta. By now, after many hours of travel, Izzy was able to stay comfortably on Ponyta's back, though she still was no master rider. As expected, her mother loved Ponyta. She had known about Izzy's research and fawned over the healthy fire of her blue mane and the pristine pureness of her coat. Although she wasn't a good rider, Isabelle did know how to take care of a Pokémon. Mother would be furious with her if she neglected any of her Pokémon! With Ponyta grazing in the back garden, and after a quick meeting between Mother and Dewgong, Isabelle was sat down with tea. The ladies had a lot to catch up on. Elenor spoke about thinking of moving to a ranch outside of Celadon, which much more land where she could continue her hobby of rehabilitating Pokémon. Isabelle spoke of the darkness she had found in some places, including the Abra in the Celadon Game Corner. As expected, it horrified her mother to hear of such treatment of Pokémon. Isabelle sighed and ran a hand through her hair. She just didn't know what to do against it. She wanted to help but she was just a nurse.

Then the telephone rang. It was Celadon Gym, according to the number identification.

"Mrs Evergreen? We need your help! All our plants are dying, and there is this terrible smell like an open sewer. Something's making low, growly noises as well. Please come and help us!" The girls from the Gym shrieked.

"Don't worry, I'll go," Isabelle offered. Her mother wasn't the youngest anymore and Izzy had noticed how her mother was sore from working too much. "Don't worry, Mother."

Elenor smiled and told the girls of Izzy's decision. When she hung up, the older nurse sighed.

"You'd think they'd seen a Raticate from the way they scream and shriek."

Because Ponyta could use some rest, Isabelle flew the tiny distance on Pidgeot's back to Celadon Gym. As she landed, she saw the chaos. All around her, girls were crying and throwing up, which was a bit of an exaggerated reaction according to Izzy.

Erika met her in front of the Gym. She, too, seemed a tad annoyed with the hysterics.

"We've got a loose Muk. No clue how it got in, but in his confusion, his stench is unbearable. I don't want to aggravate it. Let's just chase it out. Oh, and Izz? It's a Poison type."

Isabelle nodded; "I'm aware. But I also know Grass types are weak against it, which leaves you not able to do a lot. Pidgeot should be able to blow it away with his powerful wings. Do you have an exit planned?"

"Yes. There's an easy route from the back exit to the city garbage disposal. The Muk should be happier there than in my gym."

"Let's do it."

Inside, as she was warned, it reeked. Badly. It smelled like everything that could rot at the same time. Clearly, this Muk was really upset and confused. Like Gloom, they could be very manageable, but tended to smell when upset. The operation didn't take long. Isabelle mostly stood behind Pidgeot, whose wings were easily able to slide Muk where Isabelle wanted it to go. Within quarter of an hour, the girls stood outside as the Muk slimed his own way further, probably smelling the garbage from here.

"I'm so happy I'm not a Gym Trainer of yours. I wouldn't want to clean up the grime and have to start the garden over from the start."

Erika laughed. "The cleaning will be gross, but we like gardening. We had wanted to try some new plants out anyway, since the Pokémon Centre has need of new medicine, and now we have the soil available, after purifying it."

"Good luck, Erika."

"You too. When all is done, come and visit us again."

"As long as it doesn't smell this badly, I'll be sure to come."

The ladies laughed again and went their own way. Erika went inside, and Isabelle back to her mother's, who was a little sad she had missed yet another adventure.


	90. 090 Shellder

**#090 Shellder**

 _Shellder, the Bivalve Pokémon. At night, this Pokémon uses its broad tongue to burrow a hole in the seafloor sand and then sleep in it. While it is sleeping, Shellder closes its shell, but leaves its tongue hanging out._

A while ago, Dominic Whitewater had asked Nurse Isabelle to keep the first weekend of June free and meet him at the beach of Cinnabar Island. Just after the summer, there would be many competitions of those who battled Pokémon competitively and it would be a busy time for both. So this weekend was about relaxation.

Now used to Isabelle, Ponyta and her rider dashed over the beach around lunch time. Whatever fear the horse had originally had seemed gone in that moment. Together, they rode like the wind. The sun shone down on them pleasantly. Ponyta neighed excitedly at the feeling of the splatter of the ocean against her body and the sand under her hooves. Isabelle's curly hair was loose and waved behind her like a golden banner.

A bit further along the beach, there was a man standing in their way. Isabelle recognised him as Dominic, but Ponyta did not. She dug her feet into the sand to skid to a stop, reared, and fled in panic. As Dom rushed to help his girlfriend up, an orange flash dashed after the frightened horse.

"Are you okay? I did not mean for that to happen. I mean, I know you mentioned Ponyta's skittish, but this was more than I expected!" Dominic sounded so worried. It was adorable.

Isabelle brushed the sand off her flowery, summer dress. "Yeah, I am okay. This happens quite often, though not as much as it used to." She stopped brushing for a moment to notice her hands were trembling. "Ah. Panic reaction. I truly am okay," she said when Dom took her hands with both of his, rubbed them, before cupping her cheek and kissing her. She wrapped her arms around his neck, standing on her toes to be able to kiss him a little harder. When he pulled back, he grinned at her.

"I'm glad you're here."

"Me too. Now, where did Ponyta run off to?"

With the tiniest shock, Raichu managed to attract Ponyta's attention and made her stop running. The motherly electric mouse had been worried for the horse with the blue fire. Whatever they discussed together was unknown, but when Izzy and Dom stopped kissing, Ponyta calmly walked back to her rider with her head bent in shame, with Raichu sitting on her back. Ponyta rubbed her head against Izzy's chest, seemingly sorry for throwing her off. Affectionately, Isabelle hugged her back, whispering soothing things.

After a rather delicious lunch (since he apparently was a better cook than she was), Isabelle took off her dress, and took a Pokéball out of her backpack. Strutting in a bikini which was the same colour as Ponyta's mane, she summoned Dewgong into the water, who excitedly splashed around, calling out.

As she walked back to put the Pokéball back, Dom did not even pretend he wasn't staring at her behind. It made her a little self-conscious yet proud at the same time. While she knew she did not have the best body, since being a nurse did not allow her to eat healthily or regularly often, her body did look decent, with wide hips and a smallish chest that was called a pear figure.

"You look gorgeous," Dominic said before taking his own shirt off, revealing a toned torso. He was more tanned than her own milky skin, but when he approached her, wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her again, she forgot about her insecurities for a while.

As Ponyta and Raichu laid together in the sand, uncommonly close with each other, Isabelle, Dominic, and Dewgong played in the water. They had borrowed a beach ball that resembled a Master Ball from one of the stalls in town. The guy loaned it to them for free in exchange that they played with it where everyone could see them, to make business run smoother. Since that had already been the plan, the ranger and the nurse agreed.

When the ball flew too far, out to sea, Dominic climbed onto Dewgong's back to go and get it. Dewgong were rather a big species to start with, but it seemed that Isabelle's was particularly large. His back certainly was wider than Ponyta's was. Now that things were quiet, Isabelle heard a soft whimpering, coming from her right. Since Ponyta and Raichu were on her left, Isabelle left the water to find out what it was.

There, in the sand, laid a Shellder. It was that little thing that made the sad, whimpering noises. Upon approaching it, she saw that its tongue was unusually red. Holding the back of her hand near it, Izzy noticed it felt really hot. Shellder had a sunburn on his tongue.

"Raichu! My bag, please!" Isabelle called out and luckily for her, Raichu complied with an eager "Rai Rai!"

Gently, Isabelle stroked over Shellder's shell. "Don't worry, little one. I'll make it feel better. Ah, thank you, Raichu." The electric mouse had dragged her bag through the sand towards her. Inside, she found her berry pouch, where she took two berries from that each healed burns. With a knife, she cut them to pieces and fed the little bits to the Shellder. Already, it looked more active after the first berry, eagerly taking the bits from her hand now.

"You should feel entirely better soon, Shellder. Just be careful with the sun until you do, okay?"

"Shellder!" It replied in its adorably high voice.

"Good boy." Isabelle stood up and brushed the sand off her knees.

"You still have some here," a deep voice said from behind her, as a hand stroked across her ass, as though there was sand to remove.

Isabelle smiled. "How generous of you. Thank you for brushing it away."

"Mmm… my pleasure."


	91. 091 Cloyster

**#091 Cloyster**

 _Cloyster, the Bivalve Pokémon. The evolved form of Shellder. Cloyster is capable of swimming in the sea. It does so by swallowing water, then jetting it out toward the rear. This Pokémon shoots spikes from its shell using the same system._

Disembarking from the ferry from Cinnabar Island, the first thing Nurse Isabelle noticed was the sounds of what she assumed was a fight happening. She could hear the cries of Pokémon, the cheers from those watching, and the commands of the trainers. Approaching the ruckus, Isabelle watched silently for a while.

The battle seemed to be between Lt Surge and his nasty Raichu, and Lorelei and a Cloyster. Both trainers seemed enraged, though Surge more the furious kind of enraged and Lorelei seemed indignant, as if her very being had been insulted.

Despite having the type advantage, Raichu had trouble getting through Cloyster's hard shell. When it withdrew, it seemed to take no damage at all.

Everyone watching seemed to root for Lorelei for some reason. Izzy knew that the Vermillion Gym Leader was not very popular, but this seemed rather harsh. Gently, Isabelle nudged the woman standing next to her.

"What's going on?" She asked quietly.

"The lieutenant has been caught in the act of Pokémon smuggling. Crates of Magnemite. Lorelei of the Elite Four caught him and is challenging him to a battle. If he loses, he could lose his gym!" The woman told her.

"Oh dear…" Isabelle mumbled. This was very bad. While she had heard no good things about Surge, smuggling had not been something she expected him to do. Izzy wondered how much of the rumour was true. Though, if he's innocent, the police should be able to find out. The truth always wins, right?

In a moment of inattentiveness, Isabelle missed the winning move, but when the crowd cheered, it was clear who had won.

"Lieutenant Surge! You are hereby arrested for Pokémon smuggling!" Jenny's voice rang out loud and clear. "You have been suspended from your duties as Vermillion City Gym Leader. Take him away, boys. Everyone, disperse! Nothing to see here."

As the crowd thinned, Isabelle remained standing. Lorelei recalled her Cloyster, looking absolutely exhausted.

"Tough day?" Isabelle asked as she approached the older lady.

"Hm? Oh, you're that nurse. Yeah, you could say that." All Lorelei's fire has been extinguished.

"How sure are you of Surge's guilt?"

"One hundred percent. I caught him carrying the crates of Magnemite onto the ship. Red-handed."

Isabelle nodded slowly. "I never expected this."

"I knew he wasn't pure. War does that to a man. But to resort to this is rather extreme." Lorelei ran a hand through her red hair.

"Who'll be the substitute Gym Leader?" Practical as ever.

"One of the Gym Trainers. A Pokémon Official will deal with that. I believe most Joys are trained for that?" Lorelei shot a questioning look at the blond nurse.

"I don't have the certification for that yet. The requirement is at least 5 years of active duty. I'm only in my second year."

"Ah yes. If you excuse me, I am exhausted, and I'd like to take a good nap at the Centre. Been up all night to catch that guy."

"I'll join you. I was planning on going there anyway."

With a sad feeling in her stomach, Isabelle followed the lady, who was swaying on her feet. She did not like Surge, but to be humiliated in front of the town he had lived in for several years seemed quite harsh. But, then again, Pokémon smuggling was inexcusable. After lunch, she'd visit the Gym. Maybe her sailor friend, with his Pikachu and Magnemite, would be around. They always cheered her up.


	92. 092 Gastly

**#092 Gastly**

 _Gastly, the Gas Pokémon. Gastly is largely composed of gaseous matter. When exposed to a strong wind, the gaseous body quickly dwindles away. Groups of this Pokémon cluster under the eaves of houses to escape the ravages of wind._

Leaving Vermillion, Nurse Isabelle rode on Ponyta through the grass. Everywhere, Pidgey flew up startled and Rattata scattered away. Every day, Ponyta had grown stronger from the young foal she had been when Isabelle caught her. If Izzy had known the Ponyta lagging behind was this young, she would have chosen another one, but that didn't matter now. The fiery steed with the blue mane had matured nicely. She was still skittish around new Pokémon and in new situations, but that occurred less and less often.

However, today appeared to be such a day. Suddenly, Ponyta went from full gallop into an emergency stop, digging her hooves into the dirt of the road they were on. Neighing fearfully, she took a couple steps before rearing, yet again throwing Isabelle off. Izzy rolled away just in time to avoid a kick from the hind feet. Because the horse was mad with fear, Isabelle withdrew Ponyta using the Pokéball. When everything was silent, the nurse sighed in relief, standing off and trying to brush the dirt off her stained, white trousers.

"Are you alright, darling?" A voice sounded from her right. Isabelle wasn't sure how she missed that, but a lady sat on a fallen tree trunk. She seemed like the most ordinary, elderly female with her hair in a bun, a faded, purple dress, and a Pokéball on her lap.

"Oh. Yes. Thank you. This happens from time to time. I wonder what spooked her so, though." Isabelle smiled kindly at the lady, hoping she would not be challenged to a battle.

"I think what may have caused it. Gastly, show yourself!"

"Gastly!" The ghost appeared next to the lady, grinning mischievously at the young nurse.

"Ah, that makes sense. Mind if I join you on that log? My body is a tad sore from falling." Isabelle asked.

"Not at all, dear. Not at all."

With a soft groan, Izzy sat on the log, which was actually not comfortable at all. "So, ma'am. May I ask why you have a Gastly? They're not the easiest Pokémon to handle."

The lady laughed. "I'm quite aware. Gastly and I have been friends for a long time. You see, I am a medium. I help people cope with the concept of death. Gastly helps me with that."

"Gastly helps? Can he enter the realm of the dead?" Isabelle asked, intrigued. She had heard about this before, but since it was not scientifically proven, it was written off as mere slander.

"Almost, dearie. Gastly channels the spirits of the dead. So people can ask them some last questions or solve unfinished business."

Isabelle nodded. "I see…"

"Do you have anyone you wish to speak?"

The image of her father flashed across her mind, but Izzy shook her head. "No, thank you. I prefer to let them rest."

"Wise decision, girl, because people rarely get to hear what they want to hear."

After those words, the lady stood up, bid her a good day, and walked away, in the direction Isabelle had come. Izzy remained sitting for a while, entirely stuck in a vortex of feelings. That night, she called her mother, to reminisce about the dead. She cried herself to sleep that night, with old wounds torn open.


	93. 093 Haunter

**#093 Haunter**

 _Haunter, the Gas Pokémon. The evolved form of Gastly. Haunter is a dangerous Pokémon. If one beckons you while floating in darkness, you must never approach it. This Pokémon will try to lick you with its tongue and steal your life away._

Nurse Isabelle found herself in the Pokémon centre of Saffron City. There, she was arranging something for two young kids, who were waiting eagerly. They were in the transportation room where Jane and Jack were standing with their hands clasped behind their backs, not allowed to touch anything. Two parents sat on a chair at the back of the room.

"So, you'd like to adopt a Pokémon from the centre? As I explained before, these Pokémon have been captured by someone else, are unable to stay with their original trainer, and ended up here. These are the Pokémon that are unable to return to the wild. It does mean the Pokémon might not like you, but that is also a problem with wild Pokémon. As far as pets go, these are the least likely to attack, sir, ma'am."

Everyone nodded in suspense.

"The first Pokémon I want to show you is from here in Saffron. It's Haunter. I know," Isabelle said when the parents gasped. "But this one is a special case. Do I have …? Yes, there they are." Isabelle checked the antidote, paralysis heal, burn heal, defrost, and awakening on the desk, just in case. As the Pokéball arrived, Isabelle turned around to face them. "Haunter thinks he's a Growlithe or something like that. He likes to play, and worst of all, lick."

"That isn't so bad?" The mother piped up.

"No, it's normally not. But Haunter can cause paralysis if it licks."

"Oh. That's a problem. I want to see him anyway."

Isabelle opened the Pokéball and with a flash, Haunter showed up. Unlike normal Haunter, he had his tongue out and looked rather excited. Before Isabelle could say anything, he hugged Jane with his floating hands and gave Jack a lick, which caused him to spasm and freeze.

"Haunter! Stop!" Isabelle called out authoritatively. The ghost ceased flying and hovered in mid-air. Frustrated, the nurse ran her hand through her hair.

"Let's not." The father said slowly.

"Haunter, return." The nurse summoned the ghost back and put it back on the shelf. "I think I'm going to go to Saffron City Gym with this one." She turned back around to the computer to find another suggestion. "How about an Oddish?"

"Oh, that's more suitable!" The mother exclaimed.

"Okay. Oddish from Celadon City. Transport… And …"

"Can I have a Meowth?" Jane piped up.

"Sure. No problem. We have plenty of those. Poor street Meowth that end up at the centres, all starved and lonely."

With two subsequent pings, two Pokéballs showed up. The first one contained a Meowth, from Vermillion. The second was the Oddish. Meowth was a scared little thing, hiding behind Isabelle's legs, frightened by the noise the young girl made. The Oddish did not seem to care. When Jack reached out his hand, Oddish boldly marched up to him to be petted.

Isabelle made eye contact with the parents, who nodded at her. They'd take these two home, for their children to learn how to care for Pokémon. Handing the balls to the parents, she watched them leave the transportation room. Another successful case of Pokémon adoption. Izzy had grown up around Pokémon herself and she could advise it for any parent. It taught a kid how to share, how to be compassionate, how to think of others instead of themselves. It was one of the highlights of her childhood.


	94. 094 Gengar

**#094 Gengar**

 _Gengar, the Shadow Pokémon. The evolved form of Haunter and the final evolution of Gastly._ _Sometimes, on a dark night, your shadow thrown by a streetlight will suddenly and startlingly overtake you. It is actually a Gengar running past you, pretending to be your shadow._

Ever since Ponyta joined the team, Nurse Isabelle rode from town to town on the back of her fiery steed. She would stay as long as it took Ponyta to rest up before leaving again for the next one. Today she was travelling once more. Isabelle was walking on the road, leading Ponyta by her reins for she was becoming a bit skittish again. This wasn't the first time they'd ridden in the evening, but Ponyta's nerves were becoming too hard to handle to keep going. It reminded her of when Ponyta sensed a Gastly a week ago.

"Return, Ponyta," Isabelle ordered, holding out the Pokéball. She'd have to continue on foot, though it might be time to set up camp. As she headed into the woods, she heard many things, including bird call and the rustling of leaves. What did not belong among those sounds was the odd beeping noise she heard. It was entirely mechanical and very curious.

Following the sound, Isabelle came to a cave. The sound echoed through it, much louder than before. Wrapping her hand around Ivysaur's Pokéball, she went in. Inside, she found a man on his back, unmoving. A device laid in his hand, making the beeping noise. It occurred to Izzy that this was an emergency signal. Immediately, she reached for her backpack to pull her cellphone out. The advantage of an emergency number is that very little reception was needed. With a call and a message to the nearest Officer Jenny, Isabelle called for help for the man.

Returning her attention to the cave, Isabelle noticed he held an egg to his chest. It was too dark to see what colour it was. When reaching out for it, a Gengar materialised in front of her, slapping her hand away.

"Ouch! I wasn't going to steal it!" Isabelle called out, indignant, cradling her slightly stinging, cold hand.

"Gen …. gar…" The man groaned, drawing the attention of both the Pokémon and the nurse.

"Is this Gengar yours, sir? I've called the police. You'll be fine in no time. You're lucky I heard your signal."

"Signal…?" The man only just seemed to notice the beeping. "Well done … Gengar." The man smiled at the ghost, who nodded back at his trainer.

Sirens rang outside and Isabelle left the two to show the offers where the man was. He would be taken to the human hospital and it was now up to the police to figure out what happened. Taking a lift on the back of the police bike, Isabelle managed to get to town, which saved her from having to sleep outside

In town, the man called her to the hospital. He barely looked better, but he still cradled the egg tightly to his chest, which was unhelpfully pink. Gengar still hovered around.

"Thank you so much for your help. I don't know what I would have done without you. I'd like you to have this." He stretched his arms out to give her the egg. Isabelle shook her head, however.

"I think you should keep it. You've protected it all this time, and even Gengar seems rather protective over it, don't you, Gengar?" Gengar nodded, looking rather grumpy at the idea of the egg being given away.

"You should keep it," Isabelle repeated.

Instead, the man offered her some money. For supplies, he had said. A well-stocked nurse is a useful one, he laughed.


	95. 095 Onix

**#095 Onix**

 _Onix, the Rock Snake Pokémon. Onix has a magnet in its brain. It acts as a compass so that this Pokémon does not lose direction while it is tunneling. As it grows older, its body becomes increasingly rounder and smoother._

Life went on. Even with such an unpredictable lifestyle as Nurse Isabelle's, normalcy can be found. Visiting the gyms, for example, felt very comfortable by now. Brock's Onix was back from wherever it was when Izzy visited before, so she had some more Pokémon to check out. Graveler, Brock's Geodude that evolved, was looking great. Brock mentioned he ate a lot and was so much happier than he had been before.

Just as Isabelle was about to approach the Rock Snake that laid docilely a bit further away, the Rock-type Gymleader received a phone call.

"Hello. Oh hey, honey." He grinned like a lunatic. "You're in the hospital? Why?" A moment of silence again as Brock's brow wrinkled in worry. "I'll be right there!" He shouted into the phone before dashing out, just like that. He then came back for a moment, wearing his coat inside out. "Watch my Pokémon for me, Miss Nurse!" And then he was gone again.

A bit intimidated, Isabelle looked at the gigantic Pokémon. At over 9 meters long, it was even longer than Onix usually were. "Hey there, big guy. Will you let me check you out?"

He roared softly and laid his head down. Starting at the tail, Isabelle climbed on top of the long Rock Pokémon. She was careful to spot any discomfort but Onix seemed perfectly okay. When she approached the head, she sat down against the rocky spine on top of his head. "So… what do you think could have happened? I hope Joy's okay. The hospital…" Isabelle sat up swiftly. "She was pregnant! Onix, do you think…?"

Onix made a grating sound. "Only one way to find out: by being patient.

As the nurse and the Rock-type Pokémon waited, Isabelle watched a couple Zubat in the ceiling beams of the building. They probably had a nest there. Zubat and Geodude usually lived together in harmony, so it was not surprising a couple had nested here.

Isabelle's phone rang. "Hello?"

"Miss Nurse, we're on our way back. It's a boy!" The guy sounded like he was crying rivers in happiness.

"Congratulations," Isabelle told him with a smile on her face. When she hung up, she leapt off Onix's head. "Alright, everyone!" She summoned the lazy Geodude, the Graveler, and the Onix. Maybe the Zubat were listening, too. "Your trainer is coming home soon with a baby. Young humans are especially frail so I want you to be very, very careful. No tossing around with it," she told the Geodude with a stern look. "No Tackles. No loud noises, or else it'll wail. The baby means a lot to Brock and Joy, so please, be careful with it."

Just as she finished her speech, the two entered the Gym. Brock had his arm wrapped Joy's waist as she seemed exhausted and had a basket in his other. Just before bringing Joy to bed, Brock handed over the cradle with the baby to Isabelle.

The little one had Brock's complexion and hair colour. However, he had his mother's eyes. It was rather odd to be able to look someone of Brock's family in the eye, since their eyes usually were very narrow.

Brock returned with tears in his eyes. Izzy returned his son to him. "He's gorgeous," she told him. Brock could only nod.


	96. 096 Drowzee

**#096 Drowzee**

 _Drowzee, the Hypnosis Pokémon. If your nose becomes itchy while you are sleeping, it's a sure sign that one of these Pokémon is standing above your pillow and trying to eat you dream through your nostrils._

Standing in full uniform with a mouth cap, sterile and all, Nurse Isabelle inspected the chaos. A Rapidash had broken his front leg. All nurses and doctors, including Isabelle who had been just visiting, had been summoned to prepare for surgery. However, Rapidash was having none of it. Blasting Ember at anyone who would get too close, the medical staff were unable to sedate the fiery steed long enough for surgery to begin.

"I have an idea," a very young-looking Joy spoke up. No one paid any attention to her, but Isabelle turned her way. "W-well," she said, suddenly nervous under Isabelle's calm stare. "There's a Drowzee currently in the centre. He could put Rapidash to sleep and keep him that way until we're done."

Isabelle looked at her for a moment before nodding. Everyone else was still fighting the Rapidash. "Everyone! Listen up!" She said with a loud voice, startling everyone present, including the young Joy and the horse. "This isn't working. You, tiny one, go get that Drowzee. You, clean up this mess. You two, prepare for surgery. We're hypnotising Rapidash to be able to perform the operation. Is this okay with you, Rapidash? No chemical sedation?"

Huffing, the horse laid back down, kicking some hay moodily. He was no longer fighting, so that was good. It seemed his leg was hurting even more from all the ruckus he made.

The young Joy returned, cradling the chubby Pokémon as if it were a teddy bear. Isabelle didn't like it very much, but Joy seemed rather fond of it. Joy put Drowzee in front of Rapidash and walked away, waiting in another room with the others to protect themselves from the Hypnosis. Rapidash twitched a bit and then relaxed with a heavy sigh. Isabelle adjusted her gloves; it was time to get started.

Two hours later, the medical staff sat in the canteen, drinking tea or coffee as they watched Rapidash take a few careful steps outside. It would take a while to get used to the bandage, but the broken bone would heal properly now.

The young Joy received praise. She was merely an intern at this centre, watching treatment to learn, but she had demonstrated a clear mind in a stressful situation. The tired staff raised their plastic cups in a toast. "To Tiny Joy!"

Later, Isabelle and a doctor assembled an article for the medical database, promoting this kind of treatment. Especially those interested in non-chemical medicine, such as berries, would be interested in this kind of treatment. As they posted it, Izzy saw many articles by Wendy Foxglove of similar nature. How her Wigglytuff was a suitable companion for a nurse, for example. However, she was considered a bit too alternative for others to take her very seriously. That reminded her of the conversation she'd had with Oak, suggesting Wendy as assistant. While she was on the computer anyway, she sent Wendy a lengthy email, explaining Professor Oak was becoming a tad old and struggled to take care of all the Pokémon by himself. He needed someone with experience with Pokémon care, like a nurse, who is also able to assist in research. Due to the heavy medical studies they had to do, Izzy wrote, she figured Wendy might be suitable for the job. No healing battle-weary Pokémon. Just studying them in a semi-natural habitat.

Izzy pressed send and shut down the computer. Knowing Wendy, she wouldn't get a reply in the next few days. She wasn't that addicted to the computer.


	97. 097 Hypno

**#097 Hypno**

 _Hypno, the Hypnosis Pokémon. The evolved form of Drowzee. Hypno holds a pendulum in its hand. The arcing movement and glitter of the pendulum lull the foe into a deep state of hypnosis. While this Pokémon searches for prey, it polishes the pendulum._

Nurse Isabelle has been having a headache since morning. She was in a small town, nearby Saffron City, when she had to stop because she could not go on. Even the tweeting of the birds and the splashing of the fountain was too much for her. Finding a quiet spot, she sat down, cradling her head.

"You too?" A guy's voice mumbled softly, causing Izzy to look up. She'd entirely overlooked a guy who also sat in the relative quietness of the edge of town. Izzy nodded, miserably.

"It's something around here. Once you get a day's travel away, the headache disappears. Something's causing it."

"A Psychic Pokémon, maybe?" Izzy suggested in a low voice. The man shrugged, not knowing the answer himself either. Groaning, Izzy stood up again. "I'm going to explore, using my headache as a guide." Wincing, she held her temple. "I now know what Psyduck must feel like."

"Rather you than me, girly. Good luck." After that almost-useless encouragement, Isabelle headed back into town. This place did not have a Pokémon centre, Izzy found out. That would have been the first place she'd have gone. Wandering around, in front of a warehouse, Izzy felt such stabs she cried out and bent over, grabbing her head. Around her, Pidgey squirmed on the ground in similar pain. Opening the door, she found a possible source of the problems.

Inside, a Hypno sat. Instead of waving his pendulum gently to hypnotise, he lashed it back and forth furiously. The entire air seemed charged with malignant energy. Whatever caused it, Izzy did not know, but the Hypnosis Pokémon was very, very furious.

Summoning Ivysaur from his ball, she called, "I know it hurts, but I need the strongest Sleep Powder you can give me! I'm counting on you!"

When Ivysaur appeared, he cried out and cringed but then focussed hard on spreading the blue powder over the wildly waving Hypno, who did nothing to dodge the attack, blind in his rage. It took a lot, but eventually, the gestures became fewer and more sluggish. He stumbled a little and then fell backwards, knocked out. Instantly, the headache disappeared, allowing her to sigh in relief.

"You're the best, Ivy!" Isabelle said, kneeling to hug her starter tightly. "I know it hurt and I'm sorry, but you were the only one who could have helped me with that."

"Saur," came the reply. All was well in Ivysaur's eyes.

Then Isabelle stood up, making a call to a peculiar Joy in Saffron: a Joy teasingly known as Goth Joy.

"Heya! How's Sabrina's Alakazam going? Cured? Excellent. Listen, I've got a new project for you. I'm in this little town, east of Saffron, and there is the angriest Hypno I've ever seen. He had a permanent scowl on his face and was waving the pendulum like he wished to smash someone's head in with it. Needless to say, it caused everyone within a day of travel around the town to come down with a migraine. Come and pick it up? It's down with a dose of Sleep Powder. Great. Thanks, Joy. I'll be lifting with you to Saffron. I need a very hot, very long shower before I feel well again. Ivy could use a check-up as well. Who knows what that Hypno caused with his fury."

Watching over the sleeping Hypno until the ambulance came, Isabelle was glad the town didn't have to struggle with the guy anymore. She did wonder what caused such anger, though.


	98. 098 Krabby

**#098 Krabby**

 _Krabby, the River Crab Pokémon. Krabby live on beaches, burrowed inside holes dug into the sand. On sandy beaches with little in the way of food, these Pokémon can be seen squabbling with each other over territory._

Back at the beach again, where she met Shellder, Nurse Isabelle was training with Dewgong in the water. From one of the stores at the promenade, she had borrowed a wetsuit. Then together with Dewgong, she had entered the water. The coastguard were aware of her planned training and would keep an eye out in case she ran into trouble. Pidgeot was also flying around, somewhere. The independent bird could take care of himself.

Despite the sun being warm, the water was surprisingly cold. Dewgong didn't seem to mind at all, bouncing joyfully in the water, splashing Izzy. Submerging her entire body, she just got the acclimatising over with. Gasping, she came up again, cursing under her breath.

It took a while to convince Dewgong to lay still enough, but when he was finally ready to work, Isabelle climbed on his back.

Or at least, that was the plan. Dewgong's fur, normally so soft, had turned slick when wet, and Izzy slid right off when she tried to get on. Wrapping her arms around his thick neck, she managed on the second try. Squeezing his sides with her legs a tad tightly, she sought a place to hold on. Unfortunately, there were none. Her legs would be her only security not to fall off.

Together they swam around. From casually swimming along the shore, to racing as fast as they could and then coming to a halt. They also practiced staying in one exact space, pretending Izzy was treating some Pokémon. It wouldn't do to float away.

Only then did Isabelle notice someone on the beach. They had ended up in one of the lesser known parts of the beach without Izzy noticing. A girl sat on the beach, surrounded by little creatures. As Izzy and Dewgong set foot and flipper on the beach, the girl slowly looked up. The sandy hair and brown eyes were very familiar to Isabelle.

"Hey Wendy. Fancy seeing you here. What … are you doing?"

All around her curious friend were Krabby. They were burrowed in the sand around her, they climbed over her lap. She even held one in her hands, stroking its pincers tenderly.

"Nothing," was the reply.

"Right…" Isabelle said slowly. She truly cared for the weird girl and her gift with Pokémon was seemingly unique, but sometimes, she was a weirdo. It was obvious she preferred the company of Pokémon over humans. Izzy did too, at times, but to sit surrounded by Krabby for no particular reason?

"See ya, Wendy," Isabelle said, since she felt hungry, possibly intruding on some complex Krabby ritual.

"Sleep tight."

After another frown directed at hers, Isabelle and Dewgong left her to do her business.

Only late at night did Wendy return to the Pokémon centre. She had seaweed in her hair and her clothing looked a bit torn and ragged, but she was beaming the brightest smile Izzy had seen in weeks. Isabelle, on the other hand, felt less like smiling. Her face and arms were pretty sunburnt, having spent inside for too long. She hadn't bothered using sunscreen either, today. Joy was lecturing her as she smeared some herbal ointment on her skin to help her heal faster. It would be a long night for Izzy.


	99. 099 Kingler

**#099 Kingler**

 _Kingler, the Pincer Pokémon. The evolved form of Krabby. Kingler has an enormous, oversized claw. It waves this huge claw in the air to communicate with others. However, because the claw is so heavy, the Pokémon quickly tires._

The following day, Nurse Isabelle felt much better. The sunburn that she had received while training with Dewgong had vanished, like Nurse Joy had predicted. Even better, she'd gotten a text message that Dominic Whitewater was in town! They texted a lot in the evenings, talking to each other about their days. When she mentioned she was at the beach, he let her know he was as well. So today, she was going to meet him again.

She'd been hardly able to sleep, she so excited to see him again. She almost forgot about her sunburn. Almost. Twisting and turning in bed had been rather painful. She was all right now and had been able to shower without any problem.

Coming down with wet hair, she saw him stand in the lobby of the Pokémon Centre, with his hands in his pockets. He tried to look so cool, but he also looked a tiny bit awkward, standing in the middle of the centre with everyone giving him a curious look. She nearly ran for him, wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him deeply, standing on her toes to reach him well. All around them, people whistled and laughed.

"Hey," she told him, breathless and beaming.

"Hey," he returned, smiling down at her, smoothing a strand of hair from her face.

Hand in hand, they went to the beach. Despite talking every night, they talked about everything. Izzy relived her encounter with Wendy. When she mentioned the odd comment 'sleep tight' she'd gotten, Dom laughed out loud.

"She seems like a great girl. Weird, but intriguing and wonderful. I'd love to meet her one day."

As they approached the beach, they heard a Pokémon crying out. Something yellow was squirming violently because it was stuck in a net. The poor thing was screaming as well. When the two approached, the Pokémon froze long enough to give them the evil eye as if they were the cause for his misery. It also allowed Dominic to get a good look at it.

"Oh bugger. It's a Psyduck," he complained. Indeed, it was a duck stuck in that net. Isabelle hesitated.

"If I bring out Ivysaur, I could end up cutting it accidentally. How to tear this net without harming Psyduck?"

"Machoke can do it." Dominic summoned said Pokémon, who tugged on the well-crafted rope as soon as he received the command. However, this only made the Psyduck cry even harder as the ropes tightened around his body.

Dominic cursed loudly.

At the water, a Kingler appeared, walking slowly and majestically. His orange colouring had faded and his claw was chipped in places. This Kingler was rather old, yet still looked incredibly strong. Ignoring both humans and the Fighting-type Pokémon, Kingler walked up to the Psyduck and rammed his claw on Psyduck's head, causing the screeching to stop immediately as it slumped down.

"Oh, that's much better," Dominic sighed. "Thanks, Kingler. I suppose we need to cut it free now?"

Isabelle crossed her arms, only faking anger. "Of course!"

Dominic sighed. "Was afraid so. Kingler, could your mighty claw take care of that?"

"Goki, goki," he murmured, snapping the ropes with ease. Machoke, upset to have been beaten by a mere crab, shoved Kingler away. Pride was important to the Fighting-type. Slamming his fists together, the bipedal Pokémon challenged the crab to a fight.

Izzy was a little horrified, but Dominic grinned. "Let's do this, Machoke. I want to catch that Kingler!"

Izzy decided not to watch that battle. She knelt in the sand to clean the wounds of the surly Psyduck, who would not look at her the entire time she was busy. When she finished cleaning the cuts from sand, the duck walked off with a moody flick of his tail.

"You're welcome," Izzy called after it, causing it to huff in his duck-like manner.

"Pokéball, go!" Isabelle heard when she focussed her attention back on the fight. Kingler was down on its back, flattened by the heavy weight of the Machoke. Seismic Toss, maybe? Dominic's Pokéball caught it without any problem. The old crab had spent his energy battling Machoke.

Grinning, Dominic held out the ball for Izzy to see. "Look, honey! I've caught a Kingler! Third member of my team!"

Izzy smiled softly. "Well done. Does that mean we're going to celebrate?"

"That's right! And I know exactly how I'd like to do that." He cupped her chin, angled it up, and claimed her lips in a kiss again.


	100. 100 Voltorb

**#100 Voltorb**

 _Voltorb, the Ball Pokémon. Voltorb is extremely sensitive - it explodes at the slightest of shocks. It is rumoured that it was first created when a Poké Ball was exposed to a powerful pulse of energy._

Walking with Ivysaur at her side, Nurse Isabelle was on her way back from a shift at the Pokémon centre in a small town whose name she could not remember. She was watching her Grass-type starter act silly to make her laugh. He would growl at Pidgey on the sidewalk to clear the way or try to open and close gates with his vines.

When Ivysaur opened another gate, a loud explosion from the garden startled them both. Looking what caused it, Izzy found a dazed Voltorb in the garden. A man exited the house, saw the Voltorb and sighed.

"This is the third time today," he groaned.

"What's going on, sir?" Isabelle inquired. The man noticed her medical outfit and gestures towards the Voltorb.

"We were told to adopt a Voltorb to protect our house. Cheaper than those fancy alarm systems, you know? Only, this one detonates at every single thing! Once, a Pidgey flew over and he detonated."

Isabelle had to smile. A Voltorb that was easily triggered? Not uncommon, though rarely this extreme. Behind Izzy, Ivysaur sneaked closer, prodding the dazed Voltorb with his vines.

"I am terribly sorry for causing your Voltorb to explode, sir. Ivysaur here was just toying around with the gates of the gardens we pass. He likes to open and close gates, to show off a little," Izzy smiled down at her grass starter, who in turn tried to look innocent.

As Ivysaur approached the Voltorb, it whimpered and rolled away, hiding in some shrubbery.

"Oh… Now I see," Isabelle exclaimed. Both Ivysaur and the man looked at her confused. "Well, you see. I thought Voltorb was over-eager, but it seems your Voltorb is frightened. All those triggers scare your Voltorb and cause it to explode in self-defence."

The man crossed his arms, looking at the Pokémon thoughtfully. "I had not thought of that. How do you think he became so frightened?"

"Maybe the responsibility of protecting you and your house is too much, maybe? Or he is scared of whatever made you decide you need a guard."

"Poor little tyke," the man mumbled. He knelt down and reached out his hand to the Voltorb. "Come here, little guy. It's okay."

The Voltorb rolled up to him and gingerly allowed himself to be stroked.

"I suggest a friend for Voltorb. Someone to accompany him on his job. Do make sure it's a Rock-type, though. They're immune to the explosions. Geodude, for example. They'd be good friends, and it could make Voltorb much more confident."

The man nodded. "Geodude shouldn't be so hard to find. I keep hearing those kids moan they're bloody everywhere." That caused Isabelle to laugh.

"Or adopt one from the centre. Believe me, there are loads of Pokémon in need of a good home. Adopted Pokémon might not be the best of battlers, but they make faithful companions, most of the time."

"Thank you, miss. I will. And thank you for your help."

Isabelle smiled and waved as she exited the garden. "Don't worry. I love helping Pokémon and their humans. It's why I became a nurse."


	101. 101 Electrode

**#101 Electrode**

 _Electrode, the Ball Pokémon. The evolved form of Voltorb. Electrode eats electricity in the atmosphere. On days when lightning strikes, you can see this Pokémon exploding all over the place from eating too much electricity._

Despite how much Nurse Isabelle loved to see the dark colours of the sky and hear the rumbling that was rolling closer, it was high time to find shelter. A storm this powerful would not be appreciated by either of her Pokémon that could transport her: Ponyta and Pidgeot. Her Fire-type hated water and therefore rain, and her bird would be shot out of the sky. So Isabelle spurred Ponyta into action, cantering along the road, searching for the closest place to hide from the upcoming tempest.

A bit further along the road, there was a sign proclaiming berries for sale. Where there were berries for sale, there had to be a farm! So Isabelle opened the gate from Ponyta's back – which would be very difficult even if Ponyta wasn't restless – and trotted up the lane towards the farm building. She passed rows and rows of berry trees, which made Isabelle very eager to buy some. Painkilling Oran berries had run out a long while ago.

Arriving at the farm house, Isabelle dismounted and called Ponyta back, who was very eager to leave as the first droplets were falling. Someone must have seen her coming, because the door opened to reveal a heavy-set lady with an apron.

"Quick, girl! Get inside!" Wasting no time, Isabelle did as the lady told her and hurried inside the pleasantly smelling ranch.

"Thank you so much, ma'am. My name is Isabelle Evergreen. I'm a Pokémon nurse." Isabelle said with a slight bow.

"I am Bianca. Welcome to my home. A Pokémon nurse, you say? Oh, what luck! Egbert! Egbert!" She screamed suddenly, startling the young blonde. "Egbert! I found a Pokémon nurse!"

"No need to shout, woman! Where did you get the girl from?"

"She just showed up, like a sign from above!"

Isabelle wasn't quite sure what to think of the gangly man and his plump wife. "Is anything the matter?"

The woman's voice turned all sweet and pleasant again. "A little bit. Our Electrode doesn't feel so well, you see? We use him for electricity in the house. A bit far away from the city, you see? And he's been feeling unwell for a few days now. I told Egbert to go get a nurse, but he hadn't done it yet, and boom!" Thunder struck, causing the man, Egbert, to curse. "There you are!"

Isabelle laughed sheepishly. "I was just looking for somewhere to hide from this storm."

"And we were looking for a nurse!" Yes, she had already said that. The woman repeated herself quite a lot. "So it all works out!"

Gripping the straps of her backpack tighter, Isabelle have them a kind smile. "I'll do what I can. Could you show me your Electrode?"

She was taken to the basement, which was a rather creepy place; it was dark, it smelled vaguely like mushrooms and socks, and all kinds of unidentifiable sounds could be heard. When the lights were turned on, Isabelle could see what was going on.

An Electrode, as expected, was inside the common contraption for harvesting electricity from Electric-types. Nothing unusual there. Yet the Electrode looked really bad. If possible, the orb looked slumped.

"He's out of electricity. There's no doubt about it. Have you been using a lot these days, or forgotten to charge him?" Isabelle shook her head, but Egbert looked rather uncomfortable. "Sir?" The nurse asked, sternly.

"The Kanto League was on. So I kind of watched a lot of television. Like, all of the battles. The winner had this awesome Nidoking and-…" He stopped as soon as he noticed the glare of his wife.

"This is your fault?! My poor Electrode. Please, nurse girl, heal my Pokémon." The woman sounded rather hysterical.

"Don't worry, ma'am. This storm is actually the perfect time to charge up your Electrode. Normally, a lightning bolt is a bit much but in this state, it'll be just what your Pokémon needs to feel perfectly fine again. Sir, could you unhook him and bring him upstairs and out of the farm?"

With a glare from his wife, Egbert did as he was asked. Within half an hour, Electrode laid alone in the field opposite of the berry farm. Egbert held his worried wife as Izzy merely watched with her arms crossed.

Feeling the electricity in the air, Electrode began to spark weakly, acting as a lightning rod. And indeed, the next surge of lightning hit the Pokémon. Isabelle winced when the woman screamed. She apparently didn't know how tough Electrode were. When the sky turned dark again, Electrode rolled back on his own, sparking happily and excitedly.

"Oh, lady nurse, you did it! You saved my poor Electrode," Bianca cried out as she hugged Izzy in a chokehold against her chest.

"Actually, nature did it," Isabelle choked out, but no one heard.

As thanks for her work, Egbert made her a warm meal, as Bianca prepared her a bed. The following morning, a basketful of various berries laid ready with a note of thanks. Isabelle smiled as she packed them in her backpack. It felt good to help people, Izzy thought, as she waved goodbye from Pidgeot's back before ascending into the air on her way again.


	102. 102 Exeggcute

**#102 Exeggcute**

 _Exeggcute, the Egg Pokémon. This Pokémon consists of six eggs that form a closely knit cluster. The six eggs attract each other and spin around. When cracks increasingly appear on the eggs, Exeggcute is close to evolution._

Flying on Pidgeot's back, Nurse Isabelle descended in the yard of the Celadon Gym. Immediately, a girl ran out to meet her.

"Nurse Isabelle!"

"Oh, hello. Thank you, Pidgeot. Would you like to rest in your ball now?" Pidgeot rubbed his head against Izzy's cheek and nodded, so Isabelle withdrew him. "Do I know you?" She asked the girl that had come to meet her. The girl seemed younger than Izzy but had a really pleasant face. Red, curly hair framing the freckles all over her face, and doe-like, green eyes.

"Probably not, but Miss Erika talks a lot about you. You're her friend, right? You're basically famous in the Celadon Gym. I'm Juliet. Bulbasaur and I are rather new here."

Isabelle smiled at the Grass-type trainer. "Nice to meet you, Juliet. Is Erika busy?" Juliet nodded, seeming sorry to say it. "No worries. Erika mentioned new guests in the gym?"

"Yes! Please, follow me!" Opening the door, Izzy first waved at the older lady at the counter before realising Ivysaur.

"Hey Ivy. Guess where we are? I'll be here for probably an hour at least, so have fun." Ivysaur growled his approval and ran off in that waggly way of his.

"Ooh, an Ivysaur! He looks so big and strong. How did you get him that way?" Juliet sounded genuinely impressed.

"Sunlight. I have him loose quite often, so he can enjoy the sun. More often than not, he spends his time napping in the sunlight. The amount of sunlight the Bulbasaur line receives determines how big they grow. In rainy, cloudy areas, the Venusaur are much smaller than in humid, tropical regions. Understand what I mean?"

Juliet nodded eagerly. "That makes perfect sense. They are quite plant-like, aren't they?"

Isabelle nodded thoughtfully as they walked through the lush garden that was the Celadon Gym. "So, what's the call for?"

"Exeggcute. We've founds loads of them, burrowed in the ground. They're not the normal Grass-types we train, but they are welcome, of course." Juliet was right. Occasionally, the tops of the eggs could be seen, burrowed in the ground. "At first, we thought they were Pokémon eggs, you see? So we dug some up. They did not like that much…" She winced at the memory. Isabelle could understand. Annoyed Psychic-types, even those who are secondary psychic, could cause quite some trouble.

"So, what do you need me for?" They both sat down on a bed in the middle of a grassy field, where Erika and her mother Ingrid gave lectures.

"Well, Miss Isabelle, we wanted to know if they're harming the plants."

Izzy shook her head. "I am no botanist, but that's unlikely. They're Grass-types, after all. There are shards of leaf stones around here, though. I was there when Erika's Weepinbell evolved, so the Exeggcute might evolve as well. Still, they're basically trees and should not be much trouble. They might even be useful in a fight."

Excited, growly sounds caused the girls to look up. Ivysaur and a peculiar Bulbasaur came running, racing each other, bumping their noses together.

"Rosie!" Juliet exclaimed, identifying the curious Bulbasaur. Unable to help herself, Izzy knelt down on the grass and gently cooed at the Bulbasaur to come.

Her skin was darker than a normal Bulbasaur's and she was also smaller than her own had been. It is almost like this Bulbasaur has been hatched and kept in a dark place, but that did not seem entirely it. Rosie was very healthy and energetic. Neglected Bulbasaur were not. Also, her bulb different; there was a peek of red between the leaves, which had a different texture. Her scent was off, as well. Sweeter, like …

"Rosie is a rose?" Isabelle asked, unsure whether to believe it herself.

"I'm not sure, actually. She certainly is unique. Even her vines are thorny, so I guess she is, but is that even possible, Nurse Isabelle?"

Izzy nodded slowly. "Yes, I guess it is. A subspecies of Bulbasaur. How interesting. Professor Oak would love to see this, probably. How did you get her?"

"She was a wild one. One day, I found her here, sniffing the leaves. She never really left, so I caught her."

Not only Izzy thought Rosie smelled sweet. Ivy kept trying to get to the Rose Bulbasaur, sniffing loudly. He acted truly peculiar.

Eventually, the two of them left. Izzy actually had to withdraw Ivysaur to his Pokéball to get him to come. When she had arrived at her mother's where she would stay the night, Izzy received a text on her phone.

 _"_ _What did you think of Rosie? xx Erika"_


	103. 103 Exeggutor

**#103 Exeggutor**

 _Exeggutor, the Coconut Pokémon. The evolved form of Exeggcute. Exeggutor originally came from the tropics. Its heads steadily grow larger from exposure to strong sunlight. It is said that when the heads fall off, they group together to form Exeggcute._

On the main square of Celadon City, several Exeggutor were tramping around. Whether they were lost or meant to be there, no one knew for sure. However, the fact remained that they were there.

Occasionally, they left their group to go each their own way, trampling through the town with the forward facing egg grinning broadly. Already, several police officers and their Pokémon were trying to herd them out of town. Nurse Isabelle merely watched; she was not from the police and would only get in the way.

Sitting on the edge of the fountain, Izzy watched an Exeggutor stumble over, before sliding down into a sitting position on the ground. His leaves were thin and tattered. His bark had seen better days as it was covered with cuts and signs of wear. This tree-like Pokémon might just be rather old.

As it sat down, it heaved a sigh and for a moment, it seemed as if all the heads turned sad. Isabelle merely offered it an Oran berry, to help it feel better. She wasn't entirely sure which head to give it to, but the closest one would do. It accepted the gift gratefully and munched in a thoughtful manner.

When it had swallowed, the Coconut Pokémon slumped over with a heaving sigh. One by one, his eggs fell off, bouncing off the stone ground before grouping together. Huddled closely, they watched the tree go silent.

Once, Isabelle would have reacted much more emotionally to the death of a Pokémon, but with experience, Izzy had learnt it was part of life. She was most of all curious about the eggs, which seemed to be Exeggcute. Did de-evolution just happen? The books had mentioned something vaguely like it, but to see it for herself was unexpected.

Making a note of it in her notebook, which already held many stories she had gathered about Pokémon, Isabelle kept an eye out for the Exeggcute, who seemed rather lost. Putting the pen and paper away, the young nurse stood up and beckoned the eggs to follow her.

Bouncing and chattering, Isabelle lead a curious parade towards the edge of town, where both Celadon Gym was and some tall grass began. These Pokémon should return to nature, after all.

However, Izzy did not think of the poor person who would discover a dead Exeggutor in the square, sitting against the fountain all slumped over.


	104. 104 Cubone

**#104 Cubone**

 _Cubone, the Lonely Pokémon. Cubone pines for the mother it will never see again. Seeing a likeness of its mother in the full moon, it cries. The stains on the skull the Pokémon wears are made by the tears it sheds._

Sometimes, while under treatment in a Pokémon centre, Pokémon became lonely. Their first night alone, especially, could be hard to take for some. So when Nurse Isabelle found Wendy Foxglove doing a shift in a centre she passed by, Izzy immediately volunteered for the night shift.

There they sat, in the lobby, with a cup of tea and a Pokémon on their lap. Isabelle cradled a Psyduck on her lap, who could not sleep unless she had physical contact. As Isabelle held it gently, the duck was fast asleep, resting against her breast and trusting the young nurse with her life.

Wendy held a Cubone on her lap. The poor thing had been crying all evening, but Wendy's Pokémon magic seemed to work once again. Aside from the occasional sniffle, the Ground-type Pokémon was silent.

Her friend from nursing school looked good. She had this glow on her face one would only get from doing something you love. Additionally, she wore a crown of many daisies wrought together, keeping her sandy hair in place. Where Izzy got freckles all over her face in summer, Wendy's face remained silky smooth, kissed lightly by the sun.

"I love this most about the job," Wendy spoke quietly. "Not healing the Pokémon of the kids that battle them too hard, but caring for the lonely and the weak. Caring for hatchlings, for example. Does that make sense?"

Isabelle nodded. "Yeah, I think about it, too, sometimes. It can get frustrating how careless some kids get with their Pokémon, but there's little we can do about it aside from lecture them. I've been helping Pokémon in need. I told you the Abra story, right? There are more Pokémon in trouble. I can feel it, and I'd like to help them."

"How noble!"

"Heh. Yeah… I met this guy. He's a Ranger and seems to feel the same as I do, only a bit more nature-oriented than I am. I remain a city-girl in my heart."

Wendy laughed. "I think I'd like to start a sanctuary. There was a tiny, hidden village that helped rehabilitate Pokémon, but it was abandoned when I sought it out. I'd like a proper sanctuary, about the size of the Safari Zone!" Wendy gestured something outstretched with her hands and Cubone, giggling, copied her. "That's a good boy," Wendy told him, kissing his skull.

Isabelle thought for a moment. "You know…" she began. "I think I know a place that might suit your needs. You know Professor Oak? He used to give lectures back at school. He has this laboratory where he studies Pokémon and has outstretched lands as far as the eye can see. However, he's getting old and his grandson is unable to help." Wendy's attention was fully on her blond friend. "I spoke to Gary, his grandson, recently and suggested that Oak should get some help with the Pokémon, so he can dedicate his time to the research, instead of caring for the hundreds of Pokémon. So, I kind of suggested you could do it?" Isabelle trailed off, a bit self-conscious about the fact she suggested something before asking permission.

Wendy remained silent for the longest of time and Izzy genuinely began to wonder if her friend had even heard her. Just as she was about to speak up, she exclaimed: "That's an amazing idea!" She spoke so loudly she woke Izzy's Psyduck up, who began quacking in terror as if she was under attack. It took a while to hush the Pokémon because the quacking made Cubone cry again.


	105. 105 Marowak

**#105 Marowak**

 _Marowak, the Bone Keeper Pokémon. The evolved form of Cubone. Marowak is the evolved form of a Cubone that has overcome its sadness at the loss of its mother and grown tough. This Pokémon's tempered and hardened spirit is not easily broken._

Occasionally, emotions run high in a Pokémon Centre. Not only does more praying happen there than in any religious building, but also happiness, sadness, and anger can be found there. A case of anger drew Nurse Isabelle's attention.

In treatment room seven, a Marowak laid with a severe skull break. Because the skull was obviously attached to the Pokémon, the poor guy would have to stay in the centre for a long while until he was out of danger.

His trainer, however, did not seem pleased. Instead of being angry at the nurse for keeping his Pokémon for so long, as was normally the case, the teenager was furious at his Marowak. For nearly an hour, the kid's yells could be heard on how he had messed up and what he could have done better.

Eventually, Isabelle had gone in and told the kid to leave, claiming Marowak needed rest to heal up. Without looking at the nurse, he dashed out. With a sigh of relief, Isabelle sat down in one of the chairs after offering Marowak his bowl of Pokéfood and Oran berries. The poor guy certainly could use a painkiller with the raging headache he ought to have by now.

Of all Pokémon, Marowak seemed to be one of the hardest to read. After their mother's death, they had completely shut down and adopted this tough mask. At times, she worried how damaged the Pokémon underneath that strong façade was, but if Marowak would not let her in, she would never find out. It was not her business anyway. All she had to do was to make sure Marowak healed properly.

One of Isabelle's worse traits was that she could not keep her mouth shut when the subject was on Pokémon welfare. So when the kid entered the centre again in the morning, Isabelle approached him and took him to a quiet place.

"Listen to me. Your Marowak is in bad shape. However mad you may be at him, it will not help your Pokémon. He could die if you cause him to work harder. He needs rest!"

The kid looked down in shame. As he processed her words, Isabelle reflected on that he could have been her younger brother. He only seemed a year or four younger than her.

"My name isn't 'kid'. I'm Jack, and I'm sorry. I was too hard. I …" He ran a hand through his hair. His voice had a vague rural accent, as if he was from one of the islands down south. "I don't even have an excuse for my behaviour. I'd like to apologise to Marowak and do my best to make sure he recovers. Tonight was one of the loneliest nights I've had since I got him as a Cubone, wailing all night," he added with a grimace, causing Izzy to chuckle. "I don't want to lose him, nurse."

"Come on, let's go see how he's doing. He's quite a tough cookie, that Marowak of yours. Almost as thick-headed as you," she said with a playful smile. Jack scoffed but did not say much.

Isabelle waited near the door as Jack went inside treatment room number seven. Jack held this entire monologue on how much he had been a let-down, and how the Pokémon is only as strong as the trainer is. Then it went silent for a long while before a loud clunk sounded.

Looking inside, startled, Isabelle saw Jack sitting in a pleading position with his head bowed down and Marowak with his bone club on the back of Jack's head, as if he had just smacked him. They stood still like this for a moment, before laughing loudly. All seemed to be well. Marowak had 'punished' Jack for being dumb and Jack has learnt a valuable lesson.


	106. 106 Hitmonlee

**#106 Hitmonlee**

 _Hitmonlee, the Kicking Pokémon. Hitmonlee's legs freely contract and stretch. Using these springlike legs, it bowls over foes with devastating kicks. After battle, it rubs down its legs and loosens the muscles to overcome fatigue._

In Saffron City, a man has founded a fighting dojo, for Fighting-types and any Pokémon that likes to fight physically. While it has not become an official gym, every trainer fought with their whole heart to make that dojo the best it can be.

Nurse Isabelle was there for a check-up, talking to the owner of the same Machop she had met earlier. The poor Machop was rather sad to hear Wartortle was no longer with Izzy but somewhere else where he could never find her again. Isabelle stroked him over his head.

"You'll find another. There are plenty of other Water-types in the sea."

"You know," Machop's trainer said. "That guy with the Machoke over there hasn't stopped staring at you since you entered, miss nurse."

Isabelle curiously looked over her shoulder at the male in question. He was wearing a sleeveless shirt and shorts, as he trained alongside his Machoke. Indeed, he did glimpse at her and when he caught her looking at him, he shot her a grin and a wink. Sighing, Izzy shook her head.

"I'll talk to him about it," she declared.

The trainer looked shocked. "Are you sure? He looks physically stronger than you. Be careful, miss nurse."

Izzy smiled sweetly at the younger guy with his Machop. "Don't worry. He won't hurt me."

With a purpose, Isabelle marched right up to the man with the Machoke. Both of them paused their training to watch the blonde nurse walk up to them with her swaying hips.

"Excuse me. Could you please stop staring at me like I am a piece of eye-candy?" She placed her hands on her hips to look fierce.

Dominic Whitewater, for that was the guy's name, grinned at his girlfriend. "Can't I enjoy a gorgeous lady when I see one?" He wrapped his arm around her waist and kissed her neck, causing her to squeal and push him away.

"Ew, you're all sweaty," she declared though she could not suppress her smile. "Good to see you, Dom."

"The pleasure is all mine. What are you doing here?"

Izzy shrugged. "My job. You should try it too, some time."

"Nah," Dominic waved her comment away. "Much too exhausting. I'm off duty for a year, remember? I'll go back to Johto soon, but not before we beat the Dojo Master!" He gestured to the buffest guy in the room, who was there with his Hitmonlee. The kicking Pokemon was kicking fiercely at a punching bag. The poor bag stood no chance and crashed to the ground, causing the people in the dojo to cheer.

As Dom and Machoke battled some of the dojo trainers, Isabelle handed him a towel to wipe off his sweat. It looked all innocent, being a soft, water blue, but at the right corner of the towel, a Psyduck has been embroidered. The look on his face when he noticed it was amazing and made Isabelle laugh so hard she fell over.

Together, they had lunch. All Dominic could talk about was battle strategies, but Isabelle forgave him. He was entirely focussed on his battle with the Dojo Master, later.

"How's Kingler doing?"

"Oh, that old guy is fine," Dominic said with his mouth full. "He's a little surly and hard to control sometimes, but he's mellowing in his old age. However, give him honest work and he'll do it, though he's grumbling the whole way."

Isabelle chuckled. "How's my girl Raichu? Did you tell her Wartortle is gone?"

Dominic nodded. "Yeah. While she wasn't pleased, she seemed to understand it was better for her. Actually, could you hold her during this afternoon's match with the Master? She had wanted to be there but I cannot keep an eye out for her."

"I'd love to! You know I am fond of your Raichu. She's so sweet."

"Like you," Dominic winked before stuffing his mouth full again, causing Izzy to sigh.


	107. 107 Hitmonchan

**#107 Hitmonchan**

 _Hitmonchan, the Punching Pokémon. Hitmonchan is said to possess the spirit of a boxer who had been working toward a world championship. This Pokémon has an indomitable spirit and will never give up in the face of adversity._

After lunch, it was time for Dominic Whitewater to challenge the Dojo Master. Nurse Isabelle sat cross-legged on the side-lines, cradling Raichu to her chest. Both girls watched tensely as Dominic appeared on the field with his Machoke.

The Dojo Master was a good man. He believed in honest, fair fights. Because Dom had one Fighting Pokémon, he would only use one too. His Hitmonchan was already on the field, stretching and warming up. The Punching Pokémon was fast and had a rather strong defence. This could get tricky.

Slowly, the hall filled with trainers which had been fighting in another room. The Machop and his trainer sat down next to Izzy. The trainer gave Isabelle a wide grin and thumbs up. Machop, however, looked in awe at Raichu like a blind man seeing the world for the first time. He rushed away and returned not long later with a powerful battery for Raichu to suck on. The little guy seemed to be totally over Wartortle.

Raichu seemed unsure what to think of this attention so Isabelle stroked her cheeks soothingly as the bell sounded, signalling the match was about to begin. Dominic approached the Master, bowed to him, and shook his hand. Then both returned to their Pokémon.

The fight was rather interesting to watch. It was similar to a human boxing match Izzy had seen once. Machoke stayed mostly on the defensive and only sometimes lashed out to punch Hitmonchan. Hitmonchan, being lighter and faster, darted around Machoke, trying to find an opening in that tough defence.

Like this, the fight went on for quite a long time. Both Pokémon were tiring. The trainers were nearly losing their voice from shouting hints and pointers at their Pokémon.

At one point, Hitmonchan hit Machoke so hard in the leg he caused a cut. The Super Strength Pokémon groaned and stumbled. The audience gasped as one and Raichu sparked in shock, hurting Izzy a little. However, she would not be scared off by some sparks and hushed Raichu, rubbing her chubby, soft little body until the orange rodent calmed down.

With an injured leg, Machoke was able to move even less. However, his rage had been ignited. The moment Hitmonchan let down his guard, Machoke hit hard and fast. He struck the Pokémon so hard, he fell over and did not move anymore.

"Hitmonchan is unable to battle. Machoke wins! The victory goes to the challenger, Dominic Whitewater!"

Isabelle shouted the formulaic lines along with the referee in joy. Raichu leapt out of her arms to check on Machoke and Isabelle dashed for Dominic. Right now, she did not care he was sweaty or hot. He had won a tough fight and she was super proud of him for it.

In front of the entire audience, Isabelle kissed Dominic deeply. As some cheered for them, he dipped her back in a theatrical, knight-gets-the-princess kiss.


	108. 108 Lickitung

**#108 Lickitung**

 _Lickitung, the Licking Pokémon. Whenever Lickitung comes across something new, it will unfailingly give it a lick. It does so because it memorizes things by texture and by taste. It is somewhat put off by sour things._

As a nurse on the road, Nurse Isabelle's life was filled with tiny events. However, today could be a big day for two people she held dear to her heart. Therefore, she had spent more attention to her appearance than ever. Her hair, though braided, shone healthily and curling bangs framed her face. She wore form-fitting jeans and a silky shirt that reminded her of Pidgeot's mane.

Despite being half an hour early at the meeting room of Celadon City Pokémon Centre, she was not the first one. Her friend Wendy Foxglove already sat on top of the meeting table with her back towards the door. Wendy looked good; she had changed her usual uniform (which she rarely kept to, anyway) into a knee-length, flowery dress. The same colour flowers were also in her hair. Isabelle couldn't tell whether they were fake or real. Knowing Wendy, they probably were real.

Walking up to the younger nurse, Isabelle saw what she was doing: she was squirting a Lickitung's tongue with a spray bottle in the shape of a Bellsprout, which was an interesting design for a spray bottle, Isabelle though.

"Hey Wen. Nice Lickitung. When did you catch him?" Izzy said, sitting down at the head of the table, because it had the most comfortable chair.

"Oh, Licky's not mine. He just follows me around," Wendy declared as if this was the most common thing in the world. Isabelle pulled a thoughtful look.

"Why haven't you caught him?"

"Because he likes to be free!" At that exclamation, she spread her arms as if she were a Pidgey herself. Lickitung did the same, though his reach was much less.

"Right. Have you seen our guest yet?"

"Mhmhm," Wendy hummed affirmatively. "He went to make a phone call back home, he said."

Not long after that, Gary Oak arrived and sat down on Izzy's left, for Wendy sat on her right.

"All right, everyone," Isabelle started. "We are here because Professor Oak could use help with all the Pokémon in his care in Pallet Town. The amount of active trainers is growing and the professor is not getting any younger. Gary Oak here will represent Professor Oak, as he is too busy to come himself. Also, he has the best for the professor at heart." Gary nodded.

"Wendy Foxglove here is the nurse I recommend for this position. Even though we both graduated just over a year ago, Wendy has a gift with Pokémon that cannot be denied. This Lickitung, for example," Isabelle gestured to the plump guy in the corner who was squirting himself with the Bellsprout water bottle. "Wendy just told me this Lickitung is not hers. He just started following her around and she's fine with it." Wendy beamed a bright smile and Gary raised an eyebrow. Since he was a decent competitive fighter, this was rather odd to him.

For the duration of the meeting, Gary and Wendy discussed work ethics, dreams, and skills. Isabelle occasionally needed to act as an interpreter since Gary talked business and Wendy spoke Pokémon. However, what seemed to impress Gary most was Wendy's dream of a Pokémon Sanctuary. It said most about her character in a way that fitted Professor Oak's current lifestyle very well; she would not try to use the Pokémon for her own gain or battle them against each other. She genuinely cared for their well-being alone.

At the end of the meeting, both shook each other's hand and then Izzy's hand. "I'll be in touch," Gary said with a wink, causing Wendy to giggle and blush. Isabelle's eyebrows raised up into her hairline. Of all people to match, this was not one Isabelle had thought could happen.


	109. 109 Koffing

**#109 Koffing**

 _Koffing, the Poison Gas Pokémon. If Koffing becomes agitated, it raises the toxicity of its internal gases and then jets them out from all over its body. This Pokémon may also overinflate its round body, then explode._

Occasionally, Nurse Isabelle would visit the tiniest of villages, far away from the main routes aspiring Pokémon Trainers took. Such an outing brought her to a canyon-like area. Travelling on Ponyta's back, Isabelle managed to make much better distance than she had been before she captured the blue-maned horse.

Groans and terrified squeaking caught Ponyta's attention before Izzy could hear it. Listening to Izzy's instructions no more, her fiery steed dashed off towards the cliff, startling her rider. However, the horse drew to a stop a few meters away from the edge. By now, Isabelle could hear the squeaking as well.

Kneeling on the ground near the edge, she could see two Pokémon stuck just below it on a small ledge from which Ivysaur could easily lift them up. As she summoned her Grass-type, she inspected the situation.

The first Pokémon was an Abra, barely conscious and bleeding heavily. Despite his injuries, he tried to get away from the other Pokémon, which was a Koffing. What was bothering Koffing was unsure, but the gaseous Pokémon was all puffed up like a Jigglypuff and smoking like a Charizard with a sore throat. In this state of agitation, Koffing could explode any moment!

"Ivysaur, grab Abra!" Isabelle decided and the psychic Pokémon was carefully lifted into safety. Koffing, however, could not be helped anymore. With a groan, the Poison-type shut his eyes and exploded. The force of this explosion pushed Isabelle back to the ground. Abra and Ivysaur skidded a tiny distance, and Ponyta reared, bucked, and dashed off for safety.

When Isabelle looked over the edge again, the tiny ledge the two Pokémon had been lying on was gone. Koffing must have fallen all the way down, unable to levitate now that his gas had exploded. She feared the worst.

With trembling hands, Izzy went through the motions of bandaging Abra's cuts to stop the bleeding and feeding him some medicine to start the long healing process. As she made a call for an ambulance to come and pick Abra up, her voice cracked and tears ran down her face.

Why did this have to happen? What would have happened if she'd gone for Koffing first? Would Abra have fallen or would both of them have lived? The worst thought of all bothered her for months: Had her fear for Poison-types caused her to pick Abra over Koffing?

In her report of what happened to Abra, Izzy honourably mentioned the Koffing, hoping someone would look for it in the canyon below. From the look on Joy's face who listened to the report, Izzy saw her own fears: Koffing was not likely to be found alive. No one could survive such a fall, especially not when injured.


	110. 110 Weezing

**#110 Weezing**

 _Weezing, the Poison Gas Pokémon. The evolved form of Koffing. Weezing loves the gases given off by rotted kitchen garbage. This Pokémon will find a dirty, unkempt house and make it its home. At night, when the people in the house are asleep, it will go through the trash._

Whenever Nurse Isabelle was in Celadon city, she preferred to stay at her mother's house instead of the Pokémon centre. So the evening after the meeting between Gary Oak and Wendy Foxglove, Izzy found herself on the couch in her mother's living room, sipping a cup of tea.

Elenor Evergreen was a retired nurse, officially, but she had never given up on the practice. Even now, she took in young Pokémon to raise up until they're old enough to go back to the wild or be adopted.

Mrs Evergreen looked rather good for her age. Her blond hair had lost its shine and was streaked with silver, yet she cared for it as much as her daughter did. It was always pinned in a neat updo on her head. Izzy didn't have her curls from her.

Isabelle's father was a police officer. From what Mother had told her, they had met on the job and kept running into each other until he finally asked her out. They had had the most wonderful courtship, married, settled, and had a baby girl, with blond hair like Elenor's and curls like the father.

Theodore, as he was called, was really fond of his baby girl. He even took her to work, showing her off to the other officers and letting her play with the Growlithe as he did paper work. On other days, Isabelle was at the Pokémon centre, being around nurses from the time she was able to walk.

However, their happiness did not last. Isabelle was never told the full details, but one morning, Elenor found her husband propped up against their front door, covered in blood, dead for hours. That's when her mother did twice as many shifts at the centre, leaving Izzy to be brought up by whichever nurse was on break, since the toddler could not be left alone at the home. With hindsight Izzy understands that rent needed to be paid but, as a child, she never understood why Mother did not love her anymore.

Looking around, Isabelle reflected on how the house both felt really familiar and not at all. She lived here yet did not grow up here. Celadon Pokémon Centre was more like home.

Standing up, Izzy looked out over the garden. Her Ivysaur was helping water the flowers and vegetables her mother grew there. A Weezing laid napping in the compost pile, probably loving the smell. Weezing gas made excellent perfume when diluted enough, which was another reason to keep one nearby. Ingrid, Erika's mother and Elenor's friend, still managed the perfume shop. No doubt those two still had contact.

Isabelle knelt down next to Ivysaur, who was using both vines to direct two watering cans at the same time, and hugged him against her chest. She could not explain why, but the melancholy of her old home hit her hard and she needed his comfort. Ivysaur, true to his nature, immediately dropped the cans and crawled as close as he could, resting his chin on Izzy's shoulder with his muddy paws on her white trousers. He was her home now. As long as he travelled with her, she would be fine.


	111. 111 Rhyhorn

**#111 Rhyhorn**

 _Rhyhorn, the Spikes Pokémon. Rhyhorn's brain is very small. It is so dense, while on a run it forgets why it started running in the first place. It apparently remembers sometimes if it demolishes something._

With Nurse Isabelle being constantly on the road as a Pokémon Nurse, and Dominic Whitewater always travelling as a ranger, the two had very little time together. Their way of seeing each other was to either bump into each other by coincidence or meet up at work.

Apparently feeling guilty for not giving her a lot of attention during his time at the Fighting Dojo in Saffron City, Dominic invited her to join him as he spent at least the coming week with him at the Safari Zone, where he worked.

Despite having lived in Kanto her whole life, Isabelle had never been in the Safari Zone, so this was quite a unique experience. She didn't get the full Safari Zone experience, though, because she was a nurse. There was no time limit, nor was she given Park Balls. She had work to do, after all.

Dominic met her just inside the gate, wrapping his arms around her waist to pull her in a tight hug. In his embrace, she felt that he had genuinely missed her and she tried to convey that the feeling was entirely mutual. While she still didn't need a man to be complete or be happy, he certainly made her life a lot less lonely. She missed him when he wasn't there.

Only a few minutes in, Isabelle decided her life had definitely been lacking prior to coming here. The Safari Zone was great! There were so many Pokémon, living freely without the fear of being attacked by greedy trainers. The worst trainers could do was throw rocks at them.

A Nidorino and Nidorina were hopping through the grass together, chasing each other, obviously in love. Psyduck and Slowpoke laid floating in the water. Parasect crawled in front of Dom and Izzy, forcing them to wait until he had finished crossing the road.

In a quieter place, tucked in the shade, Dominic sat down with Izzy, apologising he did not bring a blanket for her to sit on. Isabelle merely shrugged, saying the dirt'd wash out.

They were sitting there under a big oak, having sandwiches, chatting pleasantly, watching clouds and occasionally kissing. Resting her head on Dominic's lap, Izzy dozed off in the warm atmosphere of the Safari Zone. She rarely had the opportunity to nap, so she'd take her chance right now.

After what felt like five minutes of sleep, she felt herself being lifted up in someone's strong arms and carried away. She startled awake, seeing Dominic's grim face. Just as they were away from the place they were sitting, a Pokémon smashed into the oak tree with a mighty crash.

As Dominic lowered her to the ground, Izzy looked over to discovered what happened. A Rhyhorn was stuck with his horn in the tree, snarling angrily.

"He just showed up. When a Rhyhorn charges, they don't stop until they hit something," Dominic said, running his hand through his black hair. He looked pale and shaken.

Isabelle laid her hand on his arm. "Thank you for getting me away from there." Dominic grinned and merely kissed her forehead. Their lunch was ruined, their backpacks damaged, but at least they were unharmed. Still, the Safari Zone might not be such a safe place to have a nap.


	112. 112 Rhydon

**#112 Rhydon**

 _Rhydon, the Drill Pokémon. The evolved form of Rhyhorn. Rhydon's horn can crush even uncut diamonds. One sweeping blow of its tail can topple a building. This Pokémon's hide is extremely tough. Even direct cannon hits don't leave a scratch._

On their second day in the Safari Zone, Nurse Isabelle and Dominic Whitewater had an early breakfast before entering the park again. This time, they would have to do some work. Apparently, picnics and napping were not always allowed.

As Dom was grouching a bit because he was forced to get up before the sun rose, he sat down in the grass, watching Izzy take her shoes off and wade into the water of a small lake where Dewgong laid waiting. Since she was wearing shorts, she did not need to worry about getting her trousers wet.

Riding Dewgong side-saddle, Izzy checked on the many Water-types that this lake held. Poliwag galore, Psyduck floating on their backs, Slowpoke napping on the banks. Some other Pokémon swam under the surface, too shy to come out. That was fine with Izzy; for if they were sick or injured, they would have floated to the surface. Water-types were convenient that way.

As Isabelle worked, they talked about their dreams for the future. Izzy expressed her happiness at being able to do this, to help Pokémon in need instead of fixing up the abused Pokémon of over-eager trainers. Dom showed her a letter, which she could not read from the distance. He summarised that his younger brother, Hamilton, or Hal for short, finally got approved to start his journey of beating all the Gyms and taking on the Johto League. He would start when the summer was over, he had written. No mention of his starter, though.

Suddenly, Dom tensed. He looked strongly to his right, from where some shouting and roaring came. Asking Dewgong to make a turn, Isabelle saw what was going on.

Determined to capture a powerful Pokémon, a group of kids were throwing rocks at a Rhydon, which stood nearly twice as tall as the kids. Rhydon's hide was too tough to be bothered by the rocks, but the kids were crowding him and pushing him towards the edge of the water. Their intention wasn't hard to guess, as Rhydon were very vulnerable to water. There was no way this would end well.

Dom leapt up and ran for the kids, stopping one mid throw. Never before had she seen her boyfriend this mad. All traces of smile were gone. His eyes were narrowed and his mouth was curled into a snarl.

"Stop that at once!" He growled at the kids, who flinched and stepped away, rightfully so. Isabelle rushed Dewgong over the water to where the Rhydon was, hushing the agitated Pokémon with her bare feet on the shore.

"Do you have any idea how dangerous this is! Not only is bullying a Pokémon absolutely despicable, but he could have snapped and attacked you! This Pokémon as about as strong as a Machoke! I do not want to be responsible for taking your broken bodies back to your mothers. Leave. Now!" The kids ran away, nearly peeing their pants.

After glancing at Rhydon whether his mood was fine, Dominic knelt in the soggy ground to check on Izzy's feet, worried she stood with no shoes on. In a slightly overbearing manner, he told her to sit down on the ground as he went to get her shoes and their backpacks. From his own, he took a little towel, dried her feet and even tried to put on her shoes, from which Isabelle pulled her feet away.

"Yes, thank you. I can manage," she snapped slightly. It wasn't that she was ungrateful, but it was very odd to be cared for in this manner, especially since she wasn't used to it.

As Isabelle put on her own shoes, Dom laid his hand on Rhydon's shoulder. "That was a close one, big buddy. You're good to go now." However, when Dominic turned away, Rhydon took a step closer to Dom. Like this, he followed them for a small while before Dominic finally acknowledged him. "What is it? Do you want to stay with me?" Rhydon nodded. With a smile, Dominic tossed a Park Ball at the Drill Pokémon, though Izzy wasn't entirely sure where he had conjured that ball from. Without a single wiggle, Rhydon was caught.


	113. 113 Chansey

**#113 Chansey**

 _Chansey, the Egg Pokémon. Chansey lays several nutritious eggs every day, which it carefully carries in its pouch. A kindhearted Pokémon, it will share these eggs with injured people and Pokémon. The eggs become more delicious if Chansey is raised with love and care._

Just because most Pokémon have a certain temper, doesn't mean all of them have. There are timid Charizard, docile Beedrill, and bold Caterpie. This is the story of a Chansey that is not as gentle as most of her kind.

Most of Nurse Isabelle's days were uneventful. She spent them working in whichever centre was nearest, to save up money to keep on travelling. The sun had already set and Izzy's eyelids were getting very heavy. No one was entering the lobby and no one needed her help. A little nap wouldn't hurt…

Isabelle's eyes shot open at the loudest screech she had ever heard. As she rushed to where the sound came from, she reflected on the fact she could not identify the screech. Could this be a new Pokémon?

The answer was: almost. In one of the treatment rooms, a Chansey was treating a grumpy Raticate. What exactly happened to it, Isabelle didn't know, but the rat obviously wasn't very interested in taking his medicine. Chansey, however, showed very un-Chansey behaviour; she grabbed the Raticate and Double Slapped it, before grabbing an egg from her pouch and smashing it against the rat's head with another of those angry screeches. The egg had been raw and smelled decidedly rotten.

A bit further ahead, some Joys had come to inspect the sound as well, shaking their heads in disapproval at the most unladylike behaviour they had ever seen in a Chansey. "I can't wait till she leaves," one nurse even said before leaving Izzy to it to clean the mess.

Despite this being a rather serious matter, Isabelle burst out laughing. The furious Chansey looked up in surprise and Raticate took the opportunity to hide under the bed, away from Chansey's wrath.

"Oh, that was great. You have a mighty temper, Chansey," Isabelle wiped her eyes, before grabbing a cloth and wiping off the Raticate. The rat bit down on her hand but Izzy did not care one bit; it kept him still. Giving the Raticate a potion, she and Chansey left the treatment room.

"Look, Chansey," Izzy said as she sat down on top of the counter, since no one was in the lobby anyway. "I know Raticate can be awfully aggravating, but to treat them this way is not allowed. We're nurses. We are supposed to heal them. It's fine if you get angry, but walk away. Never attack the client. There are many nurses here that can take over."

Chansey slumped on the ground, sighing sadly. "I'm aware the nurses here aren't happy with you," Isabelle continued. "so I'd like to make you an offer. I truly believe with experience you can control yourself better. You might be more suited for fighting, maybe even as a battle-field nurse. You can stand your ground," she smiled at her.

"I travel around the Kanto region. I help Pokémon on the road, who are in need. This is much more dangerous than Centre work. I need a Pokémon that can take care of herself. Will you join me?"

"Chansey!"


	114. 114 Tangela

**#114 Tangela**

 _Tangela, the Vine Pokémon. Tangela can ensnare and entangle anything that moves too close to it with its vines. The vines constantly jiggle and sway, unnerving enemies and deterring herbivores that might mistake Tangela for a shrub. Tangela's vines will snap off easily and painlessly if the target pulls on them, suggesting that the ensnaring is intended to scare off potential predators._

No matter how big the detour, Nurse Isabelle would always try to visit Celadon City whenever she passed even remotely close, just to visit her friend Erika. Ivysaur had also been feeling a bit down since Izzy had let Chansey join, since she worked a lot with the spirited Egg Pokémon. Alongside Chansey, Izzy's team now consisted of Ivysaur, Dewgong, Pidgeot, and Ponyta.

So, to cheer Ivysaur up, they were going to Erika's Gym. The well-kept greenhouse could cheer up any Grass-type like a natural body of water could cheer up a Water-type. Flying-types just needed open air. They were easily pleased like that.

That's how Isabelle found herself at Celadon Gym, having tea with Erika on the grassy area in the middle of the gym, where battles were fought. Erika held a Tangela on her lap, feeding it bits of berries, while Ivysaur explored the fragrant foliage nearby and seemingly had a great time.

As Isabelle told her friend about the Chansey she had taken under her wing, one of the trainers ran up to Erika, notifying her of a challenger that wished to battle today. The girl was Juliet, whom she had met on earlier visits. With her was Rosie, who had evolved from a shy Bulbasaur to a very gorgeous Ivysaur. She kept the darker skin colour and her rose-shaped bulb was the most brilliant, ruby red she had ever seen.

Her own Ivysaur seemed to agree with his trainer that Rosie looked gorgeous. As soon as he spotted, or smelled her, he came running so swiftly he bumped into the table, causing the tea to spill. Both ladies made a comment of protest but Ivysaur did not listen. He only had eyes for Rosie. He stared at her as if his whole world had been in black and white before he met her.

"Oh dear," Erika said amused, letting Tangela go to wander off. "Love is in the air."

Isabelle didn't know what to think. One part of her was really excited for Ivysaur that he found someone he was truly interested in. Rosie didn't seem too repulsed by the idea either, judging from her little coos and shy behaviour. But on the other side, this was her Ivy! Her starter!

"You like her, eh?" Isabelle said softly. When Ivysaur turned around, she saw some of her own conflict in him. A choice between his human and the most gorgeous Ivysaur he had ever seen? Isabelle knelt on the ground, next to the two. "Would you like to stay with her? Here, at Celadon Gym?" Izzy sneaked a glance at Erika, who nodded, giving her non-verbal consent that Ivysaur was allowed to stay as long as he wished.

"Saur…" came the reply. Ivy rubbed his head against Rosie's before waggling over to Izzy. As he placed his paws on her thighs and rubbed the hide of his face against Izzy's cheek, she knew this was goodbye. He longed to stay with Rosie. Wrapping her arms around his bulb and body tightly, she hugged her starter tightly. Neither needed to say anything.

A bit later, as Juliet walked back to the lobby to welcome the challenger, Rosie and Ivy followed her. With a trembling lower lip, Isabelle watched them go before handing over Ivysaur's Pokéball to Erika.

"Take good care of him," she said, hating how her voice broke. "He means a lot to me." Erika nodded and hugged her friend.

"Like he's one of my own."


	115. 115 Kangashan

**#115 Kangaskhan**

 _Kangaskhan, the Parent Pokémon._ _Kangaskhan is a nurturing Pokémon that protects its young at all costs. The baby leaves the pouch only rarely until it is three years old. In order to avoid crushing the baby, Kangaskhan sleeps standing up. If the mother feels the environment is safe, it will allow its young out to play. However, it will violently attack anything that it sees as a threat to its young. Regardless of how badly injured it becomes, the mother will not cease fighting until its young is safe. Although it was nearly hunted to extinction, Kangaskhan can be found in savannahs and other grasslands._

What better place to train a Chansey than the Safari Zone? Not only did some Chansey live in the wild there, there were also many Pokémon and situations to test her new Chansey's skills on.

Nurse Isabelle had the notion that Chansey's anger mostly came from her frustration; the frustration of being different, of being stuck in a Pokemon Centre, of being frowned upon. To prevent another Wartortle incident, Isabelle hoped to whatever deity there was that this was the case.

Because both Chansey and Kangaskhan were female-only species and both kinds carried something in their pouches, be it a baby or an egg, Chansey could be a perfect Pokémon to help Izzy during her checks with the Kangaskhan.

The Parent Pokémon attacks anyone they think is a threat to their babies, so Izzy has never seen one up close. Holding Chansey's now empty Pokéball in her fist, she watched as her Egg Pokémon approached a lone Kangaskhan. If anything went wrong, she would summon Chansey back and dash for safety. It was an excellent plan, if she said so herself.

Isabelle sat in sight of the Kangaskhan at a safe distance as Chansey approached the much taller Pokémon. Izzy's orders had been simple. The baby Kangaskhan felt a little poorly and one of Chansey's eggs, given in goodwill, should make it feel better. Chansey was to offer the egg to the mother and then leave again.

The young nurse had to admit: that pink Pokémon had guts. Any normal Chansey would have shivered under the glare of a Kangaskhan, since they usually possessed little self-will, but her own Chansey marched firmly yet carefully up to Kangaskhan.

Izzy crossed her legs as she watched Chansey talk for a small while to the mother, gesturing to the nurse, to the sickly young, and to her own eggs. Then, she took one of her eggs from her pouch. Instead of giving it to the parent, she broke it open and offered it to the child. Alarmed, Izzy sat up straighter but, for whatever reason, Kangaskhan was fine with it. Chansey wasn't a threat in her eyes, apparently.

The eggs weren't the tastiest a Chansey had ever laid. Those eggs improved in quality if a Chansey was treated with love. Izzy didn't know much of the way she had been treated, but it did not feel very loving. That was fine by Izzy. Isabelle could love her gutsy nursing companion, especially if she turned out as incredibly as Izzy suspected she might.

The baby Kangaskhan soon felt better. Chansey shook the mother's paw before leaving them again, waving as they parted. Kangaskhan walked back into the woods with her thundering steps and Chansey marched back to her nurse.

"Amazing job, Chansey! How do you feel?"

"Chansey! Chansey! Chance!" Her Pokémon looked very excited and began a long explanation on how she felt. Izzy had to guess most of the story by the gestures she made and the intonation in her voice. However, the point remained that Chansey seemed so much happier than she had been in that centre.


	116. 116 Horsea

**#116 Horsea**

 _Horsea, the Dragon Pokémon. It is highly adept in the water, using its dorsal fin to swim in any direction while facing forward. It can use its tail as both a balance and an anchor when caught in a strong current. In safer environments, it uses its tail to play with other members of its species. If Horsea senses danger, it sprays water or dense black ink from its mouth at its attacker. It can shoot ink more precisely at insects flying above the surface of the water. Horsea feeds on insects and moss gathered from rocks. It nests in coral reefs and islands throughout the ocean. Many Eggs are laid every year, and the young are raised by the male Horsea rather than the female._

News of a Pokémon Beauty Contest brought Nurse Isabelle back to Cerulean City. She hadn't been here since she traded for Dewgong, Izzy realised. The city looked as gorgeous as ever. Blooming under the Cerulean Gym's influence, the stores sold many Water-type souvenirs, as well as memorabilia of the Cerulean Gym. They did well because so any travellers came here to challenge the gym. The town flourished heavily with such tourism.

As Izzy stood in the row to purchase a ticket, the salesgirl recognised the badge on her hip and allowed the young nurse in without payment, with the promise of taking care of any Pokémon that might feel ill. There could never be too many nurses present, the girl told her, and free entry was the least they could do for security.

Feeling the responsibility weighing down on her shoulders, Izzy visited backstage before the show to check out the Pokémon that would be competing. There were many gorgeous Pokémon: Persian, Ninetales, Psyduck, Growlithe, among others. Near the entrance stood a very familiar Wartortle, who looked better than Izzy could remember.

"Hey there, Rosalind. Remember me? You traded your Dewgong for my Wartortle, last time I was in town!" Isabelle called out to the girl, who beamed a bright smile.

"Oh hello! Welcome! I am so happy you're here. Wartortle is amazing. She can sit still at a salon for hours! Longer than I can! Look at her tail. Isn't she gorgeous?"

The girl gushed for a bit longer as Isabelle took a look at her Wartortle. She indeed looked gorgeous. Her tail had been groomed to perfection and her shell has been polished till it shone. However, on her face was still that arrogant look. Isabelle never admitted how bad Wartortle had looked. The turtle barely looked at the young nurse, keeping her face in a light sneer of disdain.

"Well, good luck, Rosalind. I wish you all the best," Isabelle said before leaving the two to their preparations. There was a bit of unrest a bit further away. A Horsea hung limply in a handsome man's arms.

"Oh, thank goodness, a nurse! Please, miss, what is wrong with my Pokémon?" he asked urgently. Izzy gently took the Horsea over in her own hands. His skin was very dry and his muscles weak.

"How much exercise does your Horsea get?" Isabelle asked.

"An hour a day. We practice his attacks to get the act perfect!" He seemed proud of it.

"I meant physical exercise, not for your act. Do you let him swim?"

"Ehm. No, we usually don't have time for that."

Isabelle stroked Horsea's face gently. "Horsea remains a Pokémon and needs exercise, just like Growlithe needs to be walked every day. Take her to the Cerulean Gym. Maybe the Sensational Sisters will allow you to use their pool to let Horsea swim. His skin is much too dry, as well. I am not entirely sure, but you might not be able to join today." The man nodded his head solemnly and took his Pokémon back before leaving the room. "This goes for everyone here. Pokémon, however talented at Beauty Contests they are, still need their basic care. Don't just focus on their looks and act. Give them plenty exercise and food, too." Many people murmured and nodded. Some looked at their Pokémon guiltily. Isabelle had said all she needed to say and left to sit near the side-lines in the audience to watch the show.


	117. 117 Seadra

**#117 Seadra**

 _Seadra, the Dragon Pokémon. The evolved form of Horsea. Seadra can swim in any direction while facing forward by rapidly flapping its fins and tail. It catches its prey by spinning its body to create large whirlpools. When its prey is exhausted, Seadra swallows it whole using its long snout. Seadra's venom is toxic enough to induce fainting in humans, but is prized among practitioners of traditional medicine. Seadra makes its nest by either wriggling between or anchoring itself to branches of coral under the ocean. After a female Seadra gives birth, the male Seadra will take care of the young. It is markedly vicious, and will mercilessly attack those who venture near its nest._

One of the saddest things Nurse Isabelle could imagine was a Pokémon outgrowing their Trainer, just as a Trainer could outgrow their Pokémon. It was genuinely heart-breaking. Still in Cerulean City, where she'd be for a small while, a man entered the Pokémon centre. With the tell-tale wristband, he looked like he just came out of the hospital. He looked very pale and seemed to be shaky on his feet. Concerned, Isabelle approached the man.

"Hello, welcome to the Cerulean City Pokémon Centre. My name is Nurse Isabelle. How can I help you?"

The man looked positively miserable. He held a Pokéball in his bandaged, trembling hands and when he looked at Isabelle in her nursing uniform, his eyes watered.

"Will you sit down with me and have a cup of tea?" Isabelle asked, knowing she needed to calm the man down before she heard what was going on. The man simply nodded.

A short while later, clutching a cup of floral tea, Izzy crossed her legs as she sat in the meeting room with the man. The ball laid unexplained on the table. Isabelle couldn't be sure, but she thought it twitched a little.

"First of all, before I begin my story, I beg of you not to judge me too harshly. I tried everything I could, but I can't take it anymore."

Isabelle nodded. "I promise. Now, please tell me."

The man took a deep breath. "My Horsea was the cutest. Always chipper, always eager to play. He would swim with me whenever he could, even in the bathtub." He gave a shaky smile. "I loved him truly. He brought joy to my life."

Isabelle smiled encouragingly at him after taking a sip of her tea. Inwardly, she grimaced; not enough sugar in her tea. It was rude to walk away and get some more, though.

"Then he evolved," the Horsea-owner said. Isabelle winced a little. She suddenly had a clue where this story was going; Seadra could be as vicious as Charmeleon. "He… he changed! His spikes would stab me, his venom would make my body feel weak. I've woken up in the hospital often enough due to the effects of that venom. T-that's why I'm here, today. The doctors advised me to … to say goodbye to Seadra. I can't take care of him anymore," the man with the bandaged hands sobbed. He buried his face in his hands as his shoulders shook. "My poor little buddy. I don't want to betray him so!"

So the ball on the table contained the Seadra, whose gentle owner could not handle him anymore. Izzy moved to sit next to him, placing her hand on his shoulder.

"I cannot say anything to relieve the pain of losing a Pokémon this way. All I can do is to make sure Seadra will be cared for here and hopefully find a new trainer soon, one who'll love him as much as you loved him. It's worth considering adopting a new Pokémon, soon."

The man slapped her hand away, angrily. "You have no idea what it's like!"

Izzy stood up, crossing her arms. "Oh, I believe I do. I've traded away my Wartortle because she prefers doing contests over travelling with me. I've left my sweet Ivysaur with a good friend of mine at the Celadon Gym because he found an Ivysaur he was infatuated with. Do not for one moment assume you're the only one who has had to say goodbye!"

Then she looked away, her lower lip trembling. With Ivsaur's leaving so fresh in her mind, her emotions were high. "Please hand over your Seadra at the desk and fill in the necessary paperwork. I'll set up an adoption entry for your Seadra." She gave a slight bow and left the room, abandoning her cup of tea in the meeting room. She told the Joy in the lobby about the man who'd come soon and then left, saying she'd do paperwork in one of the offices. Then, in the silence of the offices in the back of the centre, she cried for the Pokémon that had left her team.


	118. 118 Goldeen

**#118 Goldeen**

 _Goldeen, the Goldfish Pokémon. It has a wild temperament, and will use its horn to smash its way to freedom if kept in an aquarium. Humans swimming near it must exercise caution lest Goldeen ram them. Goldeen is a very common sight in any body of fresh water, including ponds, lakes, and rivers. It can be seen swimming upstream in large schools during the breeding season in spring._

While she was in Cerulean city, Nurse Isabelle visited the gym there, which was specialised in Water-type Pokémon. She'd been there before to treat a Seel with a broken skull but that time she hadn't really talked to any of the Gym Leaders or Trainers.

Upon her arrival one of the four sisters was at the pool, talking to her Goldeen. Said goldfish looked to be slightly on the small side, but size differences were common, of course. However, the gym did not look great. The paint was peeling, making the illustrations of the Water Pokémon barely recognisable; the Poliwag looked especially dreadful. The benches were in a similar state; chipped and broken. This place needed a renovation, desperately.

"Good day. My name is Nurse Isabelle. Who might you be?" Izzy said kindly, walking up to the pink-haired girl at the edge of the pool, who looked up at the sound of the nurse's voice.

"Hey there! Didn't hear you enter. I'm Lily, the second youngest of the Sensational Sisters. Pleased to meet you. This is Goldeen. My other Pokémon are resting currently after our show yesterday." The girl looked younger than Izzy but not much. She estimated the pink-haired girl to be around seventeen years old.

"That's okay. Mind if I join you?" Isabelle took her shoes off, pulled her trousers up higher to her knees and rested her feet in the water.

"Not at all! If you have any Water-types, feel free to let them swim. We all know how much they like that."

Smiling, Isabelle grabbed Dewgong's ball and let him out to swim. With most of the Gym's other Pokémon resting, her massive Pokémon had most of the space. "So," the nurse started. "What happened here? Your battle planner is mostly empty, there are no records of official Gym Battles, the trainers are nowhere to be seen, this place is falling apart and, instead of medical supplies, you keep cosmetics everywhere. When did this place leave the road of being a Gym and turned to shows instead?" Izzy had decided to be blunt, yet withheld the information this place would be closed soon if business wasn't resumed soon.

Lily looked down at the Goldeen swimming with Dewgong in shame. "Things have been rough. You see, my sisters and I don't like battling, so we kind of give the badges away for free." Isabelle frowned deeply at her. "Well, what am I supposed to do?!" Lily protested in defence. "We're terrible at battling! We never asked for this! This is our home! In case you haven't noticed, we're between 16 and 20 years old. It's not like we can go live somewhere else and abandon the gym, you know?"

"Where are your parents? The previous Gym Leaders?"

"Not here."

"What hap—"

"I don't want to talk about it!" With that, Lily stood up and stormed away, making sure to slam the door loudly. When it didn't slam hard enough the first time, she opened the door just to slam it again. Isabelle let out a sad sigh, while stroking Dewgong's head when he came up to lay it against her lap, getting her trousers wet.

"There's a lot of trouble here, Dewgong. Let's stay a while to discover what it is and help this gym and the girls that run it."


	119. 119 Seaking

**#119 Seaking**

 _Seaking, the Goldfish Pokémon. The evolved form of Goldeen. Seaking is a very powerful swimmer that is found in rivers and streams. It can not only swim against a river's current but it can travel up waterfalls. In the autumn spawning season, it travels upriver, where male Seaking, grown fattier and more vibrant in colour, engage in elaborate dances to court females. Seaking uses its powerful horn to bore holes in riverbed boulders in order to shelter its Eggs from water currents. A mated pair takes turns patrolling around their new nest for roughly a month, and defends it with their lives._

Nurse Isabelle stood in the hall surrounding the pool, which circled the dome of the Gym. The one who had built the Cerulean Gym had saved no expense to get the most magnificent aquarium in the entire Kanto region. Much bigger fish swam in there, but the one Isabelle was currently following was a Seaking couple. Together, they swam rounds over the length of the Gym.

On the beginning of her third lap, a girl joined her, silently for a while. Only slightly younger than Izzy, the blue-haired girl was undeniably one of the Sensational Sisters. They did not speak, content to walk around the gym at the speed Seaking swam. The young lady, who Izzy knew by reputation was named Violet, seemed to have something on her mind. Izzy would not push her though; she was quite content to watch the Seaking, who were presently disturbed by her own Dewgong whizzing past. The sea lion was an exceptionally strong swimmer and massive, too.

When Violet made up her mind, she acted by grabbing her hair at her scalp and pulling it off. Startled, Isabelle turned to face her. Underneath what had been a blue wig, raven black hair was revealed. The protective cap was taken off and her hair was shaken out.

"A wig, hm?" Isabelle merely said. Violet nodded. "All of you?" At this, she shook her head. "Misty's a natural redhead. The rest of us have black hair." Gently, Izzy ran a hand over it. "It's so silky. As expected, you know how to take care of it."

Lily came towards Violet, glaring at Izzy and at Violet's black hair. She tossed some mail at her older sister and stomped off again. Isabelle muttered something about her being in a foul mood.

Violet, however, was flicking through the mail. Bills, mostly, and warnings of imminent drastic measures, such as cutting off electricity. Violet looked near tears. "Did you know about this, miss nurse?"

Isabelle nodded slowly. "The Joy at the centre spoke about it. The Gym's about to close, isn't it?"

"Please! You have to help us! We have nowhere to go!" Violet dropped the bills and grabbed onto Izzy's shirt. "Please!"

Isabelle gave her a weak smile. "I'll see what I can do. I'm just a nurse, though. I help Pokémon. I've never saved a Gym before."

"Violet!" A voice called out. The previously blue-haired girl twirled around. The third sister stood behind her with her yellow wig. Now that Izzy knew their real hair colour, the wigs looked a bit off. Their eyebrows were too dark and their complexion did not entirely match up. "Leave us, please."

Nodding, Violet left, wiping her eyes, leaving Izzy alone with the eldest of the sisters.


	120. 120 Staryu

**#120 Staryu**

 _Staryu, the Star Shape Pokémon. When the sun goes down, the core glows its brightest. Many will float from the seafloor to the surface and align themselves with stars of the night sky as their core flickers, displaying a connection with the celestial bodies of space. If Staryu becomes weak, its core will grow faint and flash slowly. Staryu can be found at the very bottom of the ocean on the seafloors. There are times, however, when Staryu finds itself in rivers that lead into the ocean._

Nurse Isabelle followed Daisy, the eldest of the Sensational Sisters, into the office. Stacks of paper were everywhere, along with more bills. It was messy and unorganised. In the corner, a Staryu sat on a chair with his core blinking, though it was sleeping. Daisy sat down in the chair behind the desk with a heavy sigh. Isabelle realised now that she could see her here quite how exhausted the yellow-haired girl looked.

"Are you here to shut down the Gym?" Daisy asked in a low voice. Isabelle shook her head.

"No, I am here because I am worried about the Pokémon. That is my role."

Daisy nodded, running her hands through her hair and removing her wig. Wearing a wig at all times must be very warm and uncomfortable, Izzy thought. "This place was doomed to fail for years," Daisy confessed. Izzy took a chair, ready to listen to a painful story.

"Our parents were the original owners of this gym. They had been in charge until about fourteen years ago. Then they just left," Daisy shook her head as if she still couldn't understand it. "They left me, a six-year-old, with my younger siblings. Misty was only two. I don't think she even remembers our parents. Officer Jenny, who lived with us for a few years, said they could not handle the strict regulations of being a Gym Leader." Daisy buried her head in her hands. "I still don't understand, though. Why would they leave their children behind?!"

"Have you heard anything of them since the day they left?" Isabelle asked carefully, but Daisy shook her head.

"Nothing."

Letting out a deep sigh, Isabelle looked at the ceiling. "What about your youngest sister, Misty? I've heard she's a decent battler. Her name came up when I was speaking with Brock from Pewter City Gym." Daisy nodded to this, still holding her head in her hands in her hopelessness.

"You girls do watershows, right? Such as water ballet and other performances?"

Daisy looked up. "Yeah, we do. They're fun to play."

"That'll earn the Gym money, right? That's one of the more pressing issues. That and having no active Gym Leader. I'll talk to Misty about that. Getting apprentices and trainers at the gym can wait until everything is back on track," Isabelle took a notepad and began scribbling, excited to get started on bringing this place back to life.

The eldest of the Sensational Sisters joined Izzy to look over her shoulder, checking what she was writing. "You think we can do this?"

"If you work hard, yes. Set up a good play, advertise it in the town and the Pokémon centre. When the play is premiering, open the battle register. Let the trainers sign up for a Gym battle with Misty, which'll bring in their fees. If all goes well then within the month, you can start paying off your bills and get started on the repairs. It'll be hard work. No beauty contests or anything. Constant rehearsal and performances for you three. Are you up for it?"

"The alternative is losing the Gym and being homeless, isn't it?" Isabelle nodded grimly. "Then we'll make it work!" Daisy said in a determined manner.


	121. 121 Starmie

**#121 Starmie**

 _Starmie, the Mysterious Pokémon. The multi-colour glowing of its core is also believed to be a method of communication inside the species. However, Starmie's core is most commonly seen as red in colour. The core will go dark if Starmie is knocked unconscious, and will sometimes flicker if Starmie is low on health. Because of its body shape and habit of sending transmissions skyward, some people believe this Pokémon to be extra-terrestrial. Starmie is rarely seen in the wild, but can be found in the deepest parts of the ocean._

Misty was found at the pool where the Gym battles once were held. She was fighting her Staryu against her Starmie. Walking around on the platforms over the water, she shouted commands to both Pokémon, giving them pointers or encouragement. Nurse Isabelle watched from the side, leaning back against the bleachers. She had no desire of interrupting a training session, especially not considering the topic of the upcoming conversation.

If Misty noticed the blonde, she never gave any indication. The sixteen-year-old redhead's voice boomed through the dome of the pool, giving her the disposition of a Poliwrath, rather than a Horsea. It did fit her a little. Water had the force to flatten towns, yet could also be gentle enough to nurture life.

Eventually, she let her star-shaped Pokémon rest as she headed over to where Izzy was. The nurse nodded in greeting as Misty took a can of lemonade and sat down with a sigh.

"I see you're training hard. You're the only one I've seen working with their Pokémon since I came here," Isabelle told her.

Misty took a long drink from her can. "Yeah, well, I'm the only one interested in battling."

"Then I have an interesting proposal for you. Would you like to be the sole Gymleader of the Cerulean Gym?" Isabelle asked bluntly.

That certainly caught the youngest sister's attention. "How?" She asked suspiciously.

Isabelle sat down. For the best part of half an hour, she explained how she could get it arranged to relieve her sisters of their unwanted duty as Gym Leaders and put them as Trainers instead. As Leader, Misty would hire them for the water shows they liked to do best, to bring in extra publicity and money for the Gym. No more badges would be given away for free. It would be tough, though, Isabelle warned. Misty did not seem daunted by the challenge. Her eyes shone with a blaze better suited to a Fire-type trainer.

"I take it you're up for it, then?"

"Oh, absolutely! Me, the sole Gymleader?! I could bring some changes to this place. Remodel the pool, maybe even an outside basin!" For a bit longer, Misty gushed about how she saw her ideal Cerulean Gym.

"Daisy, Violet, and Lily would depend on you to keep a roof above their heads, though," Isabelle warned.

"They don't have to worry. I can handle it. Oh! That reminds me!" Misty put her can down and dashed away, leaping over the platforms at a speed Isabelle would never have dared. Soon, she returned with something bundled in her arms. She sat down carefully, pulling the wet towel away. "It's an egg. I haven't had the time to hatch it, and I don't think the Cerulean Gym is the right home for it, not in the state it is now. We think it might be a Water-type, considering that sky-blue colour, but we cannot be sure. We certainly did not recognise it. I want you to have it. Without you, this would never have happened. We'd be just as stuck as always or even worse. Your ideas have brought new life into the Cerulean Gym, and as thanks for that, I'd like to give new life to you. Please, guard it well."

Isabelle took the light blue egg carefully, before hugging Misty tightly. "I will. You work hard and make the Cerulean Gym shine as we both know it can!"


	122. 122 Mr Mime

**#122 Mr Mime**

 _Mr Mime, the Barrier Pokémon. From birth, this Pokémon is an excellent pantomime. As it matures, it gains the ability to solidify air molecules by vibrating its fingertips. This ability allows it to create invisible objects with its gestures. It punishes those who interrupt its act by slapping them. Mr. Mime is usually very rare, but can be found in suburban areas._

When they were at Nursing School, Wendy Foxglove had been Nurse Isabelle's closest friend. It began when they were roomed together, forced to live and study next to each other. They attended classes together, ate every meal together, and studied together. Because they spent so much time together, they grew very close.

In their final year of their education, they handled real, and sometimes quite tough, cases. On one such occasion, Isabelle and Wendy were grouped together to assist a depressed Mr Mime. Wendy had a natural talent with Pokémon, which Izzy made up for with determined studying, a caring nature, and experience. Wendy was very loving to all Pokémon, believing there was good in every single one of them, but she seemed to treat this Mr Mime especially gently, even more than she usually did. As expected of the two excellent students, their charge soon felt better.

During lunch, eating sandwiches with chocolate spread outside, Isabelle decided to ask about it: "I noticed you treated Mr Mime in a special manner. Any reason?"

Wendy sighed a little, looking over the lake in the distance where Psyduck swam, hoping for bits of their bread. "Like your mum, my parents were always away. Gone on business trips or wherever they went. My only company was this female Mr Mime." Wendy chuckled lightly. "I called her Mrs Mime. It made sense to me as a child. Left alone at home, Mrs Mime raised me. She knew how to cook, how to sew, and even how to clean."

"Raised by a Pokémon, hm?" Isabelle asked, thoughtfully. "That's probably how you can understand Pokémon so well. Almost like a second nature."

Wendy nodded. "I'm better with Pokémon than humans. You're different, Isa. You feel more like me than the Joys do."

Izzy leant back after pushing away a Psyduck that had snuck up to steal her bread. "That's because I was raised at the Celadon Pokémon Centre. Mother left me there, to be entertained by whichever nurse was on her break or whichever Pokémon roamed around. I guess I'm a bit of both worlds. I don't know what I would do without a Pokémon around me."

Wendy nodded in agreement. "I'd take a furious Rhyhorn over a livid Gertrude any day." Both girls laughed at the visual of comparing their mentor, the Elderly Joy, to a charging Rhyhorn.

Isabelle sobered quickly. "Do you want children?"

That question caught Wendy's attention, who didn't notice her bread was stolen from her lap. Izzy secretly hoped the Psyduck would get stomach ache from his greed. "I… I don't know…" Wendy stammered.

"I don't," Izzy said harshly, tossing the crusts hard at the gaggle of Psyduck a bit further away. "I don't ever want to do to my children what mother did to me. I can already tell I'll be a nurse until I can't take it anymore, physically or mentally. It's a full time job, one that doesn't stop when the night falls. I could not care for a child as well. Maybe an apprentice, to raise as my own, but they'd be 10 or so."

Wendy still seemed unsure and a little startled by Izzy's bitterness. Unlike Isabelle, Wendy forgave easily, almost as if she could not even remember the wrongs that had been done to her. It was a little frustrating at times, but her mellowness made her who she was and Izzy would do anything for her friend.

The bell rang. Break time was over. Time for more theory studies.


	123. 123 Scyther

**#123 Scyther**

 _Scyther, the Mantis Pokémon. Scyther's blade-like forearms are capable of slicing through logs, and become sharper by cutting through hard materials. Using swift movements, it camouflages itself and enhances the effectiveness of its scythes. It has been observed that wild Scyther form groups. If a challenger Scyther wins a battle against the leader of the Scyther swarm, the original Scyther leader will depart and the challenger will take place as the new leader. It has also been shown that some Scyther despise the colour red, and become aggressive when confronted with this colour. Although it is rare, Scyther can be found in grasslands._

Having spent a few days in Cerulean City in order to get through all the paperwork regarding the overhauling of Cerulean Gym, Nurse Isabelle had neglected her Pokémon a bit. The exception was Dewgong, who was doing fine, having exercised more than enough in the waters of the Water-type Gym. The Seel that had been previously injured stuck to Dewgong as they swam around, like a parent looking after their kid.

Isabelle's plan was this: she would ride on Ponyta to a nice grassy area where she would release Chansey and Pidgeot. With a sharp pain in her heart, she realised she did not need to keep Ivysaur in mind anymore. However, she had that egg in her care. Whatever came out of it would depend on her and her Pokémon. Chansey surely would be a great help.

It felt great to gallop atop Ponyta, over the roads away from Cerulean. In the weeks Izzy had had Ponyta, her fiery steed had grown as well. Gone was the trembling foal; Ponyta was on her way to becoming an elegant, confident lady. She still had a bit of her skittish nature, startling easily, but that was okay. No need to break her character for a mindlessly obedient horse. Izzy loved her Pokémon the way they were, even if their personalities were odd sometimes, such as a hot-headed Chansey.

They soon arrived at a clearing that would do just fine. Ponyta started grazing a bit further along their path, Pidgeot flew somewhere above like the mighty bird he was, and Isabelle sat on the grass with Chansey. When the Egg Pokémon discovered her trainer also had an egg, she grew wild with excitement. The egg shell felt cold to the touch, which usually was a bad sign for Chansey, but when Izzy explained she received it from a Water-type trainer, the motherly Pokémon settled down a little. The egg did have a strange texture, almost like coral. Despite her interests, the nursing school paid little attention to the care of eggs. Still, it was something Izzy was considering doing, perhaps, when she retired from being a travelling nurse.

A loud screech startled everyone. From one side of the field, a horde of Scyther came stampeding towards the nurse's band of Pokémon. Ponyta, who would be very effective against the Scyther, reared and dashed off. Pidgeot swooped in, pelting the Bug Pokémon with gusts of wind and slices of his wings. They could not be stopped, though.

"Chansey! The egg!" Isabelle called, asking for her Pokémon to take the egg in her pouch, keeping it safer than Izzy could have done. Where would an egg be safer than with the Egg Pokémon? Maybe a Kangaskhan. Still, Isabelle had no idea what to do. Pidgeot fought bravely but could not handle so many Scyther. There had to be at least seven of them.

From her right, a roar sounded, causing Izzy's heart to drop. Another Pokémon, charging. A Nidoqueen came, fists raised, ready to defend those she cared for. Izzy stumbled back, keeping close to Chansey. They were in deep, deep trouble.

However, Nidoqueen did not attack Isabelle or her Pokémon. Instead, she punched the nearest Scyther in the face. Together with Pidgeot, they made short work of the attacking Bug types and sent them cowering back to where they came from. In relief, Izzy sat down on the grass, holding her head in her hands. Things could have ended very poorly for them. Of course, now that she thought of it, she came up with many things she could have done better, such as immediately summoning her Pokémon back and flying away on Pidgeot, but in her moment of fright, she had not been able to do so.

Thundering footsteps signalled the approach of the Nidoqueen and a rush of air was all to be felt when Pidgeot descended gracefully. Standing up, she first nuzzled her face against Pidgeot's head, murmuring sweet words of gratitude before facing the Nidoqueen. Isabelle vaguely recognised her from the Nidoqueen she had left a Nidoran, a Nidorina, and a Nidorino with, last winter. She had not realised she was so close to their territory.

Carefully, she placed her hand on Nidoqueen's shoulder. They were of similar height. Right now, Izzy didn't care Nidoqueen was a Poison-type. Instead of harming her, she had been saved. Even though she already knew this, deep inside, she began to realise Poison-types weren't as evil as that Ekans had been, many years ago.

"Thank you, Nidoqueen. You saved us," Isabelle said, keeping eye-contact.

Nidoqueen nodded her head, taking a glance at Chansey with Izzy's egg, before giving her something of a smile. Remembering something, Izzy dashed to her backpack and retrieved something. Holding her hands behind her back, she approached the Nidoqueen with a smile. Then she offered the Pokémon that saved her the item in her hands. It was the Moonstone she had gotten so long ago from that muddy, male Nidoran. Nidoqueen had more use of it than Izzy did; one of her Nidorina or Nidorino could evolve with this.

"I want you to have this. As thanks for saving us." In the background, Ponyta carefully came back, still unsure of this Nidoqueen near her trainer. It could be evil, for all Ponyta knew, since she'd not seen anything of the brief skirmish.

Nidoqueen accepted the Moonstone, nodded once more, and left, back to her cave where she took care of so many Nidoran.


	124. 124 Jynx

**#124 Jynx**

 _Jynx, the Human Shape Pokémon. Jynx has a language with several cry patterns that sounds similar to human speech. However, this language has yet to be deciphered. It prefers to communicate by using dance-like movements. These rhythmic movements often cause people to dance along with it. It puts its enemies to sleep using its signature move, Lovely Kiss. Jynx often is found in urban areas._

Dominic Whitewater did not like the big city. Having grown up in a small town near the Johto Safari Zone, rural life was what he was used to and preferred. In Celadon City, there were people everywhere. They were talking loudly and bumping into each other without apologising. He could not linger to get annoyed with city life, however. He had things to buy! In one store, he'd purchased chocolates and wine. The clerk assured him these could not go wrong. At another, this one a small stall on one of the many markets Celadon had (seriously, how many markets could a city need?) he picked up a bouquet of flowers. There were lilies and roses and other flowers that looked pretty. He wasn't that well-versed in the names of all these flowers. He knew which plants were poisonous, which was much more useful to know.

Pretending his hands weren't trembling, he approached a very neat, little house in one of the suburbs of Celadon, on the side of the Celadon Gym and the major Pokémon Centre. It looked very picturesque with its light grey walls and white accents, such as the doors, the windows, and the wood of the porch. There were flower beds where one would expect them, filled with small flowers that were blooming enthusiastically. A small bronze plate at the door told him this house belonged to "The Evergreens". This house was very daunting in its perfection. Yet still, Dominic knocked on the door.

A Jynx in an apron opened the door, which surprised Dom for a moment. He was not aware a Jynx would be here. But the blonde Pokémon urged him in, excitedly. Not allowing the ranger to dawdle, he was shoved into the living room. All Dominic could take in was the ash wooden floor and the navy walls before a voice spoke.

"So, you're Dominic."

Standing in front of the armchair near the bookcase stood a woman. She held her head high, standing to her fullest height despite being not as tall as Dominic was. Her face had been gorgeous once, but age had caught up with her. She looked older than his own mother's forty-one years. Her once-blond was now streaked with grey, dulled to an ashy blonde, unlike her daughter's golden colour. Her eyes were the same colour of green, however. Said eyes were also fixated on Dominic, keen like a Fearow's.

"Yes, ma'am. I brought you some gifts." Now he felt stupid. Luckily, he was saved by his gorgeous girlfriend coming down the stairs. Her hair was loose from the braid, curling prettily over her shoulders as if she'd spent quite a lot of time on it. She had exchanged her normal outfit for a knee-length, flowery dress and shoes that reminded him of those ballet dancers wore. She looked stunning. His stomach made a leap that had nothing to do with the predatory look the elder Nurse Evergreen gave him.

Jynx was in charge of making dinner, so Dominic was stuck feeding Elenor's many Pokémon while Isabelle set the table up. Mrs Evergreen had surprisingly many Pokémon. There were two Meowth, a Vulpix, four Rattata, and a Pidgey. All looked to be younger than a year old. The trick was to feed them in such a manner that they would not fight each other over it. This obviously was a test to see how good he was with Pokémon. Luckily for him, this test was easy. The Meowth was kept away from the Rattata and the Pidgey and fed first. There were no fights whatsoever and nobody threw up from having eaten too much.

During dinner, they talked about Izzy's journeys and Dom's job. Dominic spoke proudly of Hal, his brother, and touched lightly upon his family situation. He had to talk about his team of Pokémon, Both Isabelle and Dominic sat rigidly at the table, feeling entirely uncomfortable, but they managed to survive the night. Under the watchful eye of Elenor, he hugged her on the doorstep on his way out.

"You were great," she whispered.

"I'm just happy I survived," he whispered back, finally giving her his usual, confident grin back. He kissed her forehead, which smelled vaguely like lavender, and left Isabelle on her mother's doorstep. Izzy and Jynx waved at him until he turned around and briskly, yet not too fast, walked away.


	125. 125 Electabuzz

**#125 Electabuzz**

 _Electabuzz, the Electric Pokémon. Electabuzz is capable of storing huge amounts of electrical energy inside of its body over long periods. During torrential thunderstorms, Electabuzz will compete to determine which is capable of attaining the highest ground, so as to be most likely struck by a bolt of lightning. If struck, Electabuzz will absorb the electricity and will not be harmed. It is in this same manner that captured Electabuzz are sometimes used in small towns as an alternative to lightning rods._

 _Electabuzz, like Scyther, is enraged by the colour red. If this Pokémon sees the colour red, it will become violent and raze the area around it. In battle, Electabuzz windmills its arms, apparently to add momentum to it punches. This method of battle seems ineffective, as its opponent has been known to escape in the meantime. It is also capable of entirely nonverbal communication via electrical currents when in close proximity to one another. Electabuzz typically resides in or around power plants, and can also be found in grasslands. It has been known to wander into cities and cause blackouts._

Nurse Isabelle kept in touch with the ranger Dominic Whitewater often. Not only did they call every evening (or whenever they had time, since neither of their jobs were 9 to 5 jobs), but they also texted pictures to each other or emailed interesting articles to the other. Izzy's profile picture was currently a selfie with a very photogenic Psyduck who had been simply too adorable. Izzy had been sad to leave it behind. She would have loved to take it with her, but she already had Dewgong, who was amazing and very useful. Dom's picture was with a younger kid, Dom had told her, who was his brother. His name was Hamilton Foster, Dom's half-brother, and he would be starting his own adventure after the summer, since he turned 15 this year.

Isabelle liked the look of him. He had a wide grin with that childhood confidence most kids had. Both of the men were slightly streaked with mud in the picture, which did not surprise Izzy at all. In Hal's brown hair was a Golduck-blue streak which looked pretty cool on the kid. Hal and Dom did not look very much alike, but they did have the same smile and the same warm, blue eyes.

Isabelle was at the Pokémon centre near the tunnel that led to Lavender town when she received one of these familiar calls from Dom. He mentioned there being a blackout in Lavender and that he was asked to check out the Power Plant for anything wrong since he was the closest ranger. So he had asked, with a lull to his normal confidence, whether she was willing to come with him. He knew she was nearby, as well, and thought she might come in use.

"That's all?" Izzy teased.

"And I miss you," he admitted, causing Izzy to laugh.

"All right. I'll come. See you there in an hour or two."

The previous time Isabelle had been at the Power Plant, as far as she could remember, was because a Raticate had been stuck inside, chewing the wiring. Not only had it caused damage to the wiring which had to be replaced, he also managed to electrocute himself several times. Isabelle had had to send him to the nearest Pokémon centre, using her Pidgeot (Pidgeotto at that time) and a stretcher. That had been the start of something amazing for Pidgeotto; he'd done more jobs like that, including being loaned out to ambulance staff. As far as Isabelle could tell, he loved it.

Dominic was waiting at the open entrance to the Power Plant. When Izzy shot him a suspicious look, he held up the keys, grinning. Then he hugged her, knifing her gently in the back with said keys. No words were said as they headed in.

Inside, it was clear the wires were fried. It smelled vaguely burnt and there were scorch marks everywhere. Voltorb were gathered around the sparking wires, apparently enjoying this, but they could not have been the cause of such destruction. As they walked, Dominic took notes on a tablet he carried while Isabelle carefully snuck up on a wild Pikachu, which had made a nest deeply inside the Power Plant's main hall, near an open window. They were pretty rare in the wild, so seeing one made Izzy smile.

Entering the hallways, angry shouts could be heard, echoing through. Isabelle couldn't really pinpoint where they were coming from, but Dominic briskly walked in one direction as if he were absolutely certain this was the right way. Outside the first generator room, Dom waved at Izzy that she should stay back. Angry, she crossed her arms but waited as Dominic headed inside. Then, realising how stupid she looked, standing here as if for decoration, she headed after him.

Inside the first main generator room, Dominic and Rhydon were working together to free a Pokémon. An Electabuzz was stuck in low hanging wires, which had miraculously tangled around its limbs. In anger, it kept sending out electric shocks, which had fried the entire system.

As Dominic was cursing about the bad state of this place, including that there were these ridiculous, low-hanging wires, Rhydon was yanking the Electabuzz out. Being a Ground-type, he was not bothered by the furious sparks that came off the Pokémon. From a distance, Izzy checked out the Electabuzz. Nothing hindered its movements, so no broken bones or sprained muscles. Its electric power was immense, even after frying the entire place. It might get very exhausted, but sleep could fix that. If those two could release the Electabuzz, he'd be okay.

The moment the Electabuzz set foot on the ground, Dominic pulled a Pokéball from his belt. "Alright, now it's a fair fight; I'm going to catch you!" He shouted but the Electabuzz dashed off like a Meowth faced with water. Dejected, Dom dropped his hand.

"Or not," Isabelle grinned. Dom shot her an annoyed look before grinning.

"Or not, indeed. Let's get out of this place. I've got a report to write."


	126. 126 Magmar

**#126 Magmar**

 _Magmar, the Spitfire Pokémon. Magmar's body temperature is nearly 2,200 °F (1,200 °C). Extremely well trained Magmar can have the ability to block Electric-type attacks with super-heated air. Because it hates cold places, this Pokémon typically resides in and around active volcanoes. This Pokémon has even been known to alter unfavourably cold surroundings by spitting scorching flames about to warm up the area and establish an environment more suitable to it._

 _Magmar is able to heal its wounds by dipping its wound into lava. In battle, it blows out intense flames from all over its body as to intimidate its foes and incinerate its surroundings. However, an outmatched Magmar will quickly retreat, using its fiery camouflage and its wavering, rippling glare to blend into any present fires._

Nurse Isabelle realised she could not run away from her problems forever. In the past visits to Cinnabar Island, things had not run smoothly between her and the Gym Leader Blaine; he had asked her to stay with him forever and also compared her to his deceased wife. It had unsettled her a little, so she had hurriedly left and neglected her duties. So, one morning, she stood on his doorstep, holding her Ponyta by the reins.

Blaine opened the door and seemed genuinely surprised to see her, for the slightly frustrated look he'd been wearing left quickly. He'd most likely been expecting more trainers who'd like to challenge his gym.

"Could I let Ponyta run with your Rapidash, please?" Isabelle said as a form of hello. Blaine nodded and gestured for her to follow him to the pastures around the volcano. Lady, his Rapidash, left the herd to trot elegantly up to the gate, tossing her magnificent mane at the sight of the young, shy Ponyta. As Blaine opened the gate, Izzy pulled Ponyta's halter off and let her go in. Like a mother reunited with her foal, Rapidash rubbed her snout against Ponyta's and together they ran off.

"She was my wife's, you know? Lady, I mean," Blaine said, leaning against the fence. He always seemed more talkative here. "She just rode up this slope one morning, riding that big Rapidash of hers. Her hair waving in the wind, just like Rapidash's mane. You saw how Lady likes to flick her mane? Well, her trainer was just like that, as well." He sighed.

"I never quite knew for sure why she was here. Sure, her Rapidash loves this island. I already had some Ponyta, and Lady took the herd over without any problem. Every day, the herd listened less to me and more to Lady." He grinned and shook his head. "My apprentices were no better. Laila had this confidence about her and had everyone wrapped around her delicate fingers. She was a magnificent Fire-type trainer. She and her Rapidash were nearly undefeatable. I fell for her, hard."

"How did she die?" Isabelle asked carefully, wishing she could have met this Laila. If she was anything like Lady was to her Ponyta, Izzy would have loved her.

"A cold. Or pneumonia. I don't know. She was coughing a little but pretended nothing was wrong, until she did not get up from bed one morning. Stupid, stubborn woman. I should have seen the signs something was wrong!" He slammed his fist down on the fence and then sighed. "Come on, little nurse. I want to show you something you might find interesting."

They headed into the volcano. The air was getting warmer and thicker with every step they took down. Just as Izzy was about to say she could not take it any longer, they arrived at a massive battle field, one of many Blaine owned. In the middle of the battlefield, a Magmar sat. They were truly amazing creatures and very hard to fight because of their strength. As far as Fire-types went, this one was one of the best to fight battles with, in Izzy's opinion. It made sense Blaine had one residing in his volcano.

The Magmar was a bit beat up. He had cuts over his body and a huge gash on his thigh. Isabelle could not approach it to help it, though. His body temperature was much too high. Besides, Blaine held her back.

"Watch this. Magmar, you may," he called out. Magmar nodded and dropped himself into the lava, causing Izzy to gasp slightly in worry before realising Magmar's body was mostly flame. When he came out, the wounds were mending, as if the lava restored his body. Amazed, Isabelle watched as the gash on his thigh slowly closed, which was a bit gory yet utterly fascinating.

"Astounding creatures, aren't they, these Pokémon?" She asked Blaine, who smiled at her and nodded.


	127. 127 Pinsir

**#127 Pinsir**

 _Pinsir, the Stag Beetle Pokémon. It can use its pincers to crush, toss, bludgeon, or tear opponents, lift things twice its weight, and shatter logs. Captured prey is kept in place by the piercing thorns and sheer strength of Pinsir's horns, and will not be released until they are torn in half. In addition to hunting prey, it has been observed that it enjoys tree sap. Pinsir lives deep in the forest, where it burrows underground or hides in the treetops on nights cold enough to render it immobile._

Even though she wasn't particularly nearby, Nurse Isabelle decided to drop by Erika's Gym unannounced. It'd been plaguing her for a long time, but she desperately needed to see her Ivysaur. She didn't let anybody know, not even her mother or Erika, but she flew on Pidgeot towards Celadon City. Pidgeot was strong enough and could cross fields and rivers without any problem. This way, Izzy managed to do a multiple-day journey in just under twelve hours.

Pidgeot was exhausted when they arrived, so she allowed her Pokémon to rest in his ball, promising a check-up at the centre and a very thorough brushing in thanks. Then she headed in. Juliet, who was one of Erika's apprentices, was standing at the front desk. Izzy merely held her finger to her lips as she continued walking. News of Ivy had become common gossip, so everybody there knew who she was.

At the central battlefield, Isabelle halted, sitting down on one of the benches. A fight was going on between a kid of around seventeen years old and his Pinsir against Erika and her Victreebel. For someone not into competitive battling, Izzy had to admit it was a pretty exciting match. The Pinsir and the Victreebel were almost equal in strength. What advantage the Grass-type had in strength and speed, Pinsir countered by his type advantage. Eventually, Pinsir won. Erika wasn't even mad. It had been an amazing fight. As the two of them left to hand over the badge and do some paperwork, Isabelle snuck off. She had caught Rosie's scent.

She followed the sweet, flowery fragrance deeper into the greenhouse to a part left wilder on purpose. The plants here weren't for perfumes. They were for the Grass-types that lived in the Gym. Under a big fern, Isabelle found Rosie, cradling an egg against her body as she slept. Isabelle gently reached out for the egg when suddenly she was bitten in her hand! Yelping in pain, she withdrew her hand, only to find her very own Ivysaur biting her. Ivy recognised Izzy the same moment she recognised her starter. Immediately, he licked her hand with his rough, thick tongue before climbing on her lap and licking her cheeks excitedly, waggling his very tiny tail back and forth. Isabelle giggled and hugged her old friend close against her body.

"Hey there, Ivy. Good to see you, too. How are you, Rosie. Your egg looks wonderful. May I see it?"

After a look between both Ivysaur, Ivy nudged his egg towards the young nurse. The markings on the egg revealed it as a Bulbasaur egg without doubt. The colour, however, was a bit off. It was too dark for a normal Ivysaur, yet seemed to match Rosie. Izzy's eyes went wide. Rosie's rose-mutation was hereditary! This egg was invaluable! Isabelle would give so much to be able to take it and raise it for herself, to study the Pokémon that came out of it.

However, this egg belonged to Ivy and Rosie. It was made by the two of them and not hers for the taking, no matter how much she wished she could. With a sinking feeling in her heart, she gave the egg back, rolling it back in the little dent in the soil where Rosie had kept it.

"It's wonderfully healthy and sturdy. Take good care of your little Bulbasaur, you guys, okay?" She kissed both their heads and stood up, leaving the gym. Only after she left, Erika was informed by Juliet Izzy had been there.


	128. 128 Tauros

**#128 Tauros**

 _Tauros, the Wild Bull Pokémon. Tauros is a violent, rowdy Pokémon that whips itself into a frenzy using its three tails. Once it starts charging, it is unable to stop or change course until it hits something. It lives and travels in herds on plains and grasslands. It will lock horns with others of its kind, and the herd's protector takes pride in its battle-scarred horns._

With a heavy heart, Nurse Isabelle left Celadon City. She'd come here so often that she did not need to look where she was going. She knew the sandy paths off the main road, leading past lush fields of corn and wheat. When the new training season began, this fall, the crops would be harvested. As a young girl, she loved to watch the farmers work the land with their Tauros. They seemed like such noble beasts, so obedient and helpful. Speaking of Tauros, rumour had it a herd of wild ones roamed these fields. Isabelle had yet to see them, though.

However, things felt a bit uneasy. There was a restlessness in the air that made Izzy look around more attentively. The people walking hurriedly towards the big city. One woman even bumped into her in her hurry.

"What are you standing there for, you daft girl? Get out of here!" The woman snapped before leaving in a rush. There had been a slight hint of panic in her voice. Confused, Isabelle looked around, searching for the source of their fear. Ignoring the woman's advice, she continued on against the stream of people. Leaving the shelter of the trees completely, all that was in front of her were the fields of the farmers. However, instead of a tranquil, picturesque scene, something felt wrong.

At the houses in the distance, people summoned their Pokémon back and locked themselves in their houses. Children were called back and laundry was hurriedly brought in. It was as if they prepared for a storm.

A loud bellow disturbed the calm before the storm. To her right, a Tauros stood in the field. How Isabelle had not noticed him before, she did not know, but she was hyper aware of him now. Threateningly, he scraped the ground with his hoof, completely uncaring of the crops he was destroying. Then, with another bellow, he charged.

Isabelle shouted a curse for which she would be firmly scolded by her mother, and dove to one side. Tauros could not turn very suddenly, which was her only chance. Summoning her most battle-lustful Pokémon she had, she called upon Pidgeot.

"Stop him!" She shouted, pointing at the bull that once again charged at Izzy. With very few moments to spare, Isabelle dove out of the way again, getting very filthy in the dirt of the sandy path she was on. Pidgeot fought bravely as was customary with him; he tackled Tauros' side and slashed at his legs with his wings and talons. Still, the bull would not stop.

Then Isabelle had a crazy idea. She did not have time to think about it properly, but she grabbed the empty Pokéball on her belt and tossed it at the charging bull before diving aside again. The ball sucked him inside and wiggled violently for several long minutes. When Pidgeot descended next to Isabelle to check on his human, the ball was still wiggling, though only weakly. A click and then silence.

"What am I supposed to do with such a Pokémon?" Isabelle asked no one in particular, running her hand through her messed up hair. As she picked up the Pokéball containing a very angry Tauros, people surrounded her, congratulating her on her catch and thanking her from rescuing them from that beast. Apparently, Tauros had been difficult for over a month. Isabelle smiled kindly at all the people around her and even accepted the offer of a cup of tea at someone's house. Still, Tauros' ball felt very heavy in her hand.


	129. 129 Magikarp

**#129 Magikarp**

 _Magikarp, the Fish Pokémon. A long-lived Magikarp is able to utilize its immense splashing power to leap high enough to scale mountains. It also has a strong enough immune system to survive in the most polluted of waters. However, it is usually overlooked by Trainers because of its perceived weakness: even in the heat of battle it will do nothing but flop around. It is not a strong swimmer, and currents in the water will sweep it downstream. It is normally seen using its former signature move, Splash, to leap out of the water, which makes them easy targets to predators such as Pidgeot. It is believed that the ancestors of Magikarp were actually much stronger than modern Magikarp, and this led scientists to research this species. Magikarp is found in many bodies of water, such as lakes, rivers, and ponds. However, due to its weak swimming ability it usually lives downstream of the water's flow._

Sitting on a bridge over a river she'd found, Nurse Isabelle took her shoes off and slid her feet in the water. They were red and blistery from walking too much, so the cool water felt very pleasant. Magikarp swam around her bare feet, occasionally nibbling at her toes. It was this that caused her to giggle lightly while she dialled a number she knew by heart.

"The world's most handsome ranger speaking," the voice on the other end of the line announced after only a few rings.

"Is it? Oh I'm sorry, I must have dialled the wrong number," Isabelle said, causing the man to snort.

"Thanks a lot, Izz. To what to I owe the pleasure?"

"I'd like to meet up with you. I've got something you might find interesting. Or at least, I hope so, because I have no clue what to do with it."

"I almost felt special. Still at the same place as last night? I'll be there soon," Dominic Whitewater said before hanging up.

Dominic found her at the bridge, which she'd taken a picture of for him earlier. The bridge looked even lovelier in reality with its red wood and picturesque location, but even then it was not as lovely at the girl sitting with her legs in the water.

Letting himself slide down heavily, he gave his girlfriend a grin. "Hey," he said in the most silky way he could manage. "Missed me?"

The young nurse pointed down. "I'm sure that one of these Magikarp is close to evolving. Where is he? I saw him just now…" She did not pay any attention to him, though her voice was laced with a grin.

"Oi! Don't ignore me!" He called out, mock-hurt. Isabelle turned to him with a cheeky smile. He sighed. "You monster. Anyway, what did you call me here for?"

Isabelle rummaged through her backpack and withdrew a Pokéball. Dominic frowned at it in confusion. "I've captured a Tauros, from around a farming hamlet near Celadon. He allowed himself to be caught very easily, but he was a real pain. Pidgeot could not tire him and he kept attacking me. So," she grinned innocently. "I figured you'd like to have him."

Dominic gave her an incredulous look. "Are you serious?"

"Are you saying you can't do it? Can't handle a bull that's a tad wild? If so, I'll take it back and show you how it's done." Isabelle held out her hand but he quickly pulled the ball back.

"No! I'll show you. I'll tame this Tauros and he'll be the best there has ever been!" And with that, it was settled. Isabelle was frankly relieved, for she had not known what to do if she had been taken up on her bluff to tame that bull.

Together, hand in hand, they went to the nearby housing Isabelle had rented. There was not a Pokémon centre nearby so they had to make do with this. The owner had been pretty pleased someone finally lived in the shack again and had left a bottle of wine and some chocolate for her. Together with Dominic, they made good use of such luxury foods. When the moon rose, she found them standing in the door-opening to the bedroom. Instead of arguing who would sleep on the couch, they were kissing. Izzy's hands were on Dominic's shoulders and his own were on her waist, having crept under her shirt. They slept together in the bed yet not a lot of sleeping was done.


	130. 130 Gyarados

**#130 Gyarados**

 _Gyarados, the Atrocious Pokémon. The evolved form of Magikarp. Its fangs can crush stones and its scales are harder than steel. Gyarados is infamously known for its fierce temper and wanton destructive tendencies, and is attracted to violence. In addition, Gyarados is also notoriously difficult to tame even after it is captured by the Trainer, usually requiring an exceptional amount of work in taming it until it can obey its Trainer. Gyarados usually lives in large bodies of water, such as lakes and ponds or even seas and oceans._

The blond nurse found herself at a very familiar scene again. She was crouching at a cliff together with her Ivysaur, with no one around for hours. On a small ledge below the edge of the cliff were two Pokémon. A sick Abra and a gassy Koffing. The blonde needed to make a decision quickly. This time, she had the Koffing being reeled in by Ivy's vines, but as soon as it got near the nurse and her Pokémon, he exploded with a cloud of gas. The girl screamed.

She sat bolt upright with a scream, Nurse Isabelle wasn't entirely sure where she was. She was wearing a white shirt that wasn't hers. There was someone in the bed with her. But the most urgent discovery was that she was going to be sick. As she emptied her stomach in the toilet bowl, a half-naked Dominic stroked her hair away. He didn't say anything but held her hair. When she was done and sat back, he flushed the toilet, wet a cloth and wiped her face, and then lifted her up bridal style back to bed.

In that moment, it didn't matter she wasn't wearing anything underneath this foreign, white shirt. He only wore boxers and she could feel the heat of his shirtless chest against her chilly arms. Leaning against the headboard, he cradled her and helped her to calm down from her nightmare. It had seemed so real, despite the real her having chosen the other Pokémon to rescue. Dominic wiped away her tears as she cried against his chest. No pretty, silent tears for her. Instead, she wailed and shook as she mourned the Koffing whose fate was unknown. While she was at it, she mourned every Pokémon she had lost in her year on the road. At that moment, she regretted ever leaving Celadon City. She was tired of travelling and weary from all the decisions she had had to make.

Later, after a late brunch, Isabelle and Dominic headed over to a private pool. It had been rented to a customer who preferred privacy. When Izzy opened the doors, her patient was already there. Despite Gyarados usually being blue, this one was a very angry red. The man was standing in front of the pool. His red hair and confident stance were unmistakable: Lance, of the Elite Four. He was the most famous Dragon-type trainer, though Gyarados was not one, officially. His features were most definitely draconic, though.

Dominic, surprisingly, greeted Lance cordially. They spoke as if he had been there when Gyarados was captured, for Lance had captured this Pokémon somewhere in Johto. From his time in the nearby region, his accent had turned vaguely Johtan, more similar to Dom's way of speaking, which was rural Jothan, than Izzy's city Kantonian.

"You see, the Pokémon centre nearby lacks the facilities to take on such a Pokémon. Also, I prefer privacy, for this Gyarados… attracts some attention. Let's leave it at that."

As Izzy approached the gigantic Pokémon, he slowly lowered his head. For a Gyarados, he was amazingly well-trained. As she stroked his head, she noticed his scales had a different colour, but not a different texture. After finishing her marvelling at his unique colouring, Izzy went to work.

As Dominic and Lance spoke about Johto and the way this Gyarados was acquired, Isabelle checked his teeth, his fins, and inspected his scales for damage. She even extracted some blood to test for a few diseases because she was quite curious how this Gyarados became red. However, his blood was fine, though slightly low on vitamins. It seemed Gyarados simply was red with no explanation.

"What a unique Pokémon. You've taken excellent care of him, though I did not expect any less from you or any of your colleagues. I'd like to have my partner back and then we'll be on our way again." Behind Izzy, Dominic snickered at her formal language, causing her to frown at him. Neither spoke of what happened this morning.


	131. 131 Lapras

**#131 Lapras**

 _Lapras, the Transport Pokémon. Lapras is a gentle, helpful Pokémon that enjoys ferrying people across bodies of water. However, this docility has made it an easy target for hunters, who have nearly driven it to extinction. An intelligent Pokémon, it is able to understand human speech. It has been known to travel the seas in large pods. To keep in touch with other of its kind, it sings enchanting melodies. It was shown that Lapras is able to develop psychic abilities such as telepathy. Lapras is native to the seas._

Somewhat bored, Nurse Isabelle sat in one of the offices of a Pokémon centre. She'd already forgotten the name of the town she was in. Golden evening light shone through the window on her right, colouring the entire room something other than the dreadful white that was everywhere in the center. To her left, on a pillow she snatched off a couch in the break room, Izzy's light blue egg laid. She had asked it back from Chansey now that it had begun twitching. It wouldn't be long now.

As she watched for it to hatch, the blonde was flicking through her journal, scowling at it, as she digitalised her adventure since leaving her home. However, her handwriting was illegible at times, and at other times the information was not very useful. She seemed to forget to place a date or location with many notes or stories, making them rather hard to file and assemble into a coherent diary. Apparently, thoroughness was not one of her talents.

The worst thing was that when Dominic had joined her for the day, all her notes were on how he smiled at her or when and where he had kissed her. Nothing of the Pokémon they had visited that day. Not even a mention of that red Gyarados from not long ago.

A crack drew her attention. The egg, on the pillow, shook so violently that Izzy feared it would roll off. Swiftly, she grabbed it and cradled it on her lap, stroking the forming cracks and cooing at it. Then it burst further open and a surge of water fell out, staining her white trousers. With a curse, she grabbed the egg and leapt up, grimacing at her soiled trousers. The nature of the egg was very clear now and so Izzy rushed off towards one of the Water-type treatment rooms. Since the hatchling had been in water during its time in the egg, surely it required water once outside of the egg as well.

The egg cracked further as she ran and burst open just as she got to one of the treatment pools. Whatever had been in it slid in the water with a splash. Tossing the eggshells away, Izzy knelt at the basin to see what it was. The creature was no bigger than a Squirtle. It was obviously native to the sea since it swam upwards to the surface without any problem. The light-blue Pokémon broke the surface with a cry so adorable it melted Izzy's slightly hardened heart. A baby Lapras looked at her with an expression so eager Isabelle couldn't help smiling at her.

As she lifted it out of the water to cradle on her lap, Izzy did not notice her soaked trousers anymore. The baby Lapras was so light, she weighed no more than Bulbasaur had when she had first adopted him. Her shell, instead of being hard and knobbly, was soft and lumpy. Stroking this little one's head, she was aware she would not replace Ivysaur. Instead, this little helpless being required so much care and love that Izzy needed to move on. Ivy was fine; he was healthy and fed and loved where he was currently. Lapras here depended on her now. Misty had entrusted this egg to her.

Also, Izzy thought amusedly as she fed Lapras some mashed, boiled berries, when Lapras had matured enough, she would be really useful to work from. Much more comfortable than Dewgong. Glad that the hole in her heart was slowly mending, Isabelle spent the rest of the evening feeding and playing with the baby Lapras.


	132. 132 Ditto

**#132 Ditto**

 _Ditto, the Transform Pokémon. In its natural state, Ditto is a magenta, free-form blob, capable of transforming into an exact replica of any physical object. However, if Ditto tries to transform into something based on memory, it may get some of the details wrong. It has been observed that Ditto is unable to remain in a transformed state if it starts laughing. Ditto cannot mimic the strength of another Pokémon, but it will adapt to the physical form and abilities of its opponent. When two Ditto meet in the wild, they will attempt to transform into each other. Ditto will also transform into a rock or similarly unnoticeable object when sleeping to avoid attack. Ditto is never far from civilisation or people. – Nurse Evergreen_

It only took one frustrating call and a dozen repeated questions to figure out where Wendy Foxglove was, but all of Nurse Isabelle's hard work was repaid when she saw her good friend again. The two young nurses had met near an undisturbed lake. Having access to the online databases of the nurses and rangers, Isabelle could find many interesting titbits of information.

The information database was set up like this: those who travelled, especially rangers, were implicitly expected to write about their findings and upload it in the database. Such findings include Pokémon-rich, undisturbed locations, which would have to be monitored against poachers and would need aid in the event of natural disasters. Those who were the smartest kept the maelstrom of information neatly sorted and accessible. Pokémon researchers and also nurses used this information on their jobs. Since Isabelle has left her stationary job to become a travelling nurse, she, too, was expected to write reports.

Isabelle had made a few pictures and a fitting article about her baby Lapras. After posting it, she had stumbled on an article about this lake. Wendy would much prefer the lake over the Pokémon centre, so they had decided to meet up there.

Being a bit early, Izzy sat down in the soft grass that surrounded the lake, near a spot where the reeds had thinned out enough to see out over the lake. Many Magikarp were swimming and flailing in the water. Interestingly enough, not all of them were purely red. Some had black or white spots, or some were even entirely white with merely some red spots. The entirely red ones did seem to be the dominant colour, though. If they wouldn't flail and splash so much, Izzy could almost imagine Magikarp to be pretty fish for some rich person's pond. Pulling a Pokéball from her belt, Izzy released her baby Lapras into the water. Stroking Lapras' head with a smile, Isabelle sat down in the grass as the water type experimentally tried her first open water, even if it was only a small lake. The Magikarp greeted it kindly, swimming around her. Poliwag showed up, too, and even a Goldeen or two put in an appearance. Being primarily a water-type this should feel natural, despite her not having a parent to raise her the normal way. If Izzy were to keep this Pokémon, it was essential that Lapras could interact with and tolerate every kind of Pokémon. Early exposure was of paramount importance.

Rustling to her right drew her attention. Someone walked over to where Izzy sat in the grass. The girl had messy, sandy hair and a crown of pink flowers on her head, probably self-braided. She wore a white dress with tiny, pink flowers and a sleeveless, denim jacket. She looked cute in her slightly bohemian way.

Wendy Foxglove sat down next to Izzy in the grass, smiling. Then she asked: "So, which one is yours?"

Confused, Izzy looked back at the water. Instead of one, there were now two baby Lapras! Dumbfounded, Izzy stood up, flicking her eyes between both the hatchlings, who both looked at her expectantly, having paused their playing.

"I … ehm … I don't know. There only was one a minute ago," Isabelle stammered.

"Oh, I know." Wendy also stood up and waded into the water, ignoring Izzy's protests. The Magikarp swam away, startled, but the two Lapras stayed where they were. When the water came to just above her hips, Wendy scooped the Lapras on the right in her arms. Then she turned, grinning like a little child. "This one is a Ditto!"

Isabelle eyed her suspiciously. It looked like a Lapras to her, though it was a bit suspicious all the spots were in exactly the same space. Usually, there was some variation among the members of the species.

With a flash, the Lapras in Wendy's arms transformed into a blob of goo that even Izzy recognised as a Ditto. The blonde sighed. Wendy had yet again proven her uncanny bond with Pokémon, able to see through a Ditto's transformation. The real Lapras swam closer, laying her wet head on Izzy's knee. Isabelle looked up with a smile and stroked her head.

"I'll be taking this," Wendy declared. Isabelle regarded her friend, standing in the lake with her dress wet and probably ruined, holding a soaked Ditto in her arms. That Ditto looked very happy to be there, though, cooing and making other sorts of sounds as Wendy stroked her hands over the goo.

"Congratulations. Another member of your team, hm? Who is with you by now?"

"Wiggly, Fetch, Licky, and now Ditto," the odd girl said, referring to her kind-natured Wigglytuff, her aggravating Farfetch'd, her peculiar Lickitung, and now this Ditto. The Pokémon suited her, though, in a way.


	133. 133 Eevee

**#133 Eevee**

 _Eevee, the Evolution Pokémon. This Pokémon is rarely found in the wild, for Eevee are primarily bred in captivity. This is mostly for their popularity as pets. Eevee is said to have an irregularly shaped genetic structure that allows it to adapt to many different kinds of environments. Eventually, Eevee may evolve to better suit its surroundings. Truly fascinating. – Nurse Evergreen_

Nurse Isabelle sat on the edge of a fountain, having lunch while she scowled at passing by trainers and kids. There was a breeder nearby whose eggs had recently hatched and, in an hour, the doors would open and the newly hatched Pokémon would be sold for a high price.

It wasn't because the Pokémon were being sold that Isabelle was scowling; this was common practice, after all. Meowth, Growlithe, and other mild-natured Pokémon were sold as pets or playthings for kids to learn responsibility. No, it was the specific Pokémon that was being sold today that Isabelle had problems with.

As Isabelle headed over to the breeder to give the 'OK' signal for the sale, Izzy reflected on why she disliked Eevee so much. As a Pokémon, they were incredibly fascinating. Their ability to evolve to suit their surroundings was astounding. Not many forms were discovered so far, but there were speculations that Eevee could match every single typing. A poison-type Eevee still made her shudder. So why did she detest them so? It wasn't the Pokémon itself that caused this; it was some of the Eevee trainers.

Eevee, the little fox, was adorable. It has been bred this way. Only the cutest, most harmless-looking ones were accepted as satisfactory. This was all due to popular demand, not to natural selection. Eevee have been turned from evolutionary miracle to a fashion accessory. Rich people carried them in little bags over their shoulders, only there to look pretty and be shown off. Even in her year as an intern in a Pokémon centre, Izzy had seen a fair number of cases where an Eevee had been fed too much and exercised too little. They'd become fat and unable to walk.

There was even an alternative coat colour, Izzy realised as she bypassed the line and entered the building. A very unique one. Very few breeders had been able to successfully obtain one but, if they did, the price tripled if not more.

In little cages behind the counter, there were many Eevee. Softly, they mewled, scratching the cages. It made Isabelle feel sorry for them. These were Pokémon! Living beings! Not to be reduced to a fashion icon. She was sure some of the kids could take good care of it. They could be as pleasantly natured as Growlithe, for example. However, not all would end as well.

Trying to ignore her bad feeling about some of the customers, she knelt in front of every single cage, inspecting the little fox inside. Of all Pokémon, Eevee were among those whose coat colours varied most. Some had this light, sandy coat and lightly colours eyes. Some were a gorgeous red colour. Others were so brown, they were nearly black. Maybe some of them even were black. And of course, all shades between those were there as well. The colour of rust, the colour of hazelnut or chocolate. The Pokémon themselves were not the source of Isabelle's detestation at all.

With a sigh, Isabelle noticed two Pokémon that stood out. One had a grey/silvery coat. One of the rare, mutant forms. This breeder was going to be rich. Another one wasn't cute at all. It tackled its cage harshly and kept snarling at whoever got close, including Isabelle. This Eevee did not like being in a cage or sitting still and looking pretty at all.

One by one, the Pokémon were sold. The ones in shades of brown were most common and less in price, but every single one of them found a trainer to pamper them. The hostile one remained behind. A young guy showed up, which was unusual. Eevee were primarily popular with the ladies, Izzy had noticed.

"Sorry, kid. We're all sold out," the breeder told him. "Come back next year."

"What about that one?" He pointed at the cage with the snarling Eevee.

"That one? Trust me, kid, you don't want that one. I don't know why I haven't disposed of him yet." This earned him a glare from Isabelle, who instantly disliked the breeder for the suggestion of killing less-than-cute Pokémon. She might have spoken out against it, but the would-be customer was faster.

"I want it. I have the money here. Miss nurse, could you please give me that Eevee?"

With a grunt that suggested it wasn't his problem anymore, the breeder took the offered money and walked away, back to his car to drive home, now that all his wares have been sold. Isabelle handed over the cage to the teenager.

"May I ask why you took this Eevee? He won't be a good pet," Isabelle warned him lightly.

"Good. I hope he won't. I want a Pokémon to fight with, miss nurse, not a pet." The snarling stopped when the boy released Eevee from his cage. "Will you join me, Eevee? We're going to travel the world!"

Eevee looked wild with his dishevelled coat and unclipped nails, yet he certainly looked like he would make an excellent competitive battler.

"I wish you good luck," Isabelle smiled at him. "I hope we meet again and I hope I can see how you've been able to show Eevee's true power."


	134. 134 Vaporeon

**#134 Vaporeon**

 _Vaporeon, the Bubble Jet Pokémon. One of the evolved forms of Eevee. This Pokémon's tailfin has been mistaken for a mermaid's in the past. It is rumoured that rain will come within a few hours if Vaporeon's fins begin to vibrate. Vaporeon is mostly seen in urban settings and is rarely found in the wild, but it can be seen near fresh, clean lakes. It has evolved to become better suited to an aquatic lifestyle. In addition to developing gills to be able to breathe underwater, it has a cell composition similar to water molecules, which allows Vaporeon to melt into water at all and keeps it camouflaged as it swims. – Nurse Evergreen_

The summer was slowly ending and it was in September that a fresh batch of young trainers would start the journey that would change their lives. Because many parents are frightened at the idea of their child travelling alone, groups have been erected. They were similar to guilds and members of the same team would always support each other. They sort of became like a second family. Isabelle never joined one, but she thought the idea was really cool.

In Viridian City, near the road that would lead to the Indigo Plateau, where the conference would be held in mid-summer. The trainers had about a year from the start of their journey to obtain all badges and register to enter the Indigo Plateau Conference. The order in which the badges were obtained did not matter, for not all trainers started in the same town.

In Viridian City, an information market was held both for the trainers and the caretakers. Cooking workshops, stalls selling bikes or proper shoes for walking and running, information on how to challenge a gym, and many other useful tutorials and useful items were all on offer. The Trainer School was explaining all on how to battle efficiently, and another stall explained how to capture a Pokémon. Nurse Joy of Viridian Pokémon Centre had a stall where she explained what the Pokémon centre provided to trainers (Pokémon healthcare, meals, bed, and laundry machines, to name a few,) and Nurse Isabelle was asked to talk about on-the-road healthcare, such as the importance of potions, berries, and antidotes.

There was a stall near to hers that drew her attention. It boasted a blue banner with a magnificent, blue bird on it, which Isabelle identified as one of the rarest Pokémon native to the Kanto region. Known for their extraordinary power, they'd been hunted and captured to near extinction.

During her lunch break, Isabelle headed over to the blue stall. Trainers stood around wearing blue shirts with the same symbol on it, depicting the icy bird in its full glory. They talked to interested kids while their leader typed on a tablet behind the stall.

The first thing Isabelle noticed is that it was hard to assign a gender to Blanche, as the tag read. The person was neither convincingly feminine nor masculine. Not that it really mattered to Izzy.

Blanche was scrolling through sheets of numbers, discussing them with his Vaporeon, who sat on top of the stall's table. Of all Pokémon Izzy had seen, this Vaporeon was the most intelligent looking. She sat primly and straight, looking at the tablet screen as if she could read what it said and listened to Blanche as if she understood that, too. After Izzy had listened for a few moments, she deduced they were discussing training results, going over improvement over time.

"Hello there, miss nurse!" A kid with a bright grin said. He was missing some teeth but he looked exceedingly proud to be wearing the blue shirt. "Are you here to join Team Mystic?"

Isabelle smiled sweetly and shook her head. "Maybe another time. I'm not looking to join any team right now. I'm old enough to travel on my own."

"But you're also old enough to guide young trainers like me! If only from Viridian to Pewter, for example. Last year, someone your age accompanied me through Viridian Forest. I met him at the Pokémon Centre and he noticed this shirt of mine and we travelled together!" The kid began speaking faster with every sentence. It seemed he was getting excited at the memory. "He taught me stuff and helped me capture a Caterpie, who is a gorgeous Butterfree by now! I called mum every night, of course."

People passing by heard the kid's shouted story and actually came over, interested. Blanche looked up, impressed with this young trainer's popularity. The kid received a ruffle to his hair as he repeated his story, more calmly this time, to the parents and children who had gathered around to listen. Isabelle took this as her cue to sneak away. Only Vaporeon saw her go.


	135. 135 Jolteon

**#135 Jolteon**

 _Jolteon, the Lightning Pokémon. One of the evolved forms of Eevee. In addition to the ability to become as sharp as needles, Jolteon's fur also amplifies the electrical charges produced by its cells. It can also store and generate negative ions in its fur, which create a sparking noise. This Pokémon is most often found in cities and towns under the ownership of Trainers. – Nurse Evergreen_

Having left the stall of Team Mystic, Nurse Isabelle continued down the fair. She did not get far before a bright yellow stall drew her attention. A massive flag sporting some massive, electric bird flew like a banner, shining proudly from the almost reflective motif. Kids had gathered around, wearing any kind of yellow garment. Some wore hoodies, others wore shirts, dresses or scarves. One girl even had a Pikachu hat, despite it being summer. The ears looked adorable on her, though.

In the middle of the loud crowd, a young man was mock-fighting with his Jolteon. Both held onto one end of a rope and seemed to be in the middle of a tugging war. Some of the audience were chanting the name 'Spark', but Izzy wasn't sure whether the prickly-haired man or the Jolteon was Spark. It seemed a fine name for either.

With arms crossed, Izzy watched the competition. The closer the male pulled the Jolteon to his side, the louder the crowd became, until the midline was passed and the man had won. Izzy actually winced at the screams that erupted. These yellow-robed people had a lot of fun and did not seem to care what others thought of them, whether that was positive or negative.

"Team Instinct! Dab!" The victor called out and everyone around her assumed such a peculiar pose it seemed as if they were sneezing with an arm up in the air.

"Bless you?" Isabelle said uncertainly. All around her, people laughed and high-fived before going their own way. The leader spread out his arms and the Jolteon leaped up, being held like a puppy. When the electric-type licked him, the young male laughed.

"Thank you, miss. My name is Spark and welcome to Team Instinct!" All around him, people cheered at hearing the name. It made Isabelle laugh; they certainly were a lively bunch.

"Nice to meet you, Spark. I'm Nurse Isabelle Evergreen. This is a team similar to Team Mystic over there?" Isabelle gestured with her head to the subdued stall, where Blanche was reading a book. All around her, people gasped, but Spark merely laughed.

"Yes, we're also Pokémon Trainer's Team. However, we're nothing like Blanche and the rest of Team Mystic. We trust our instincts. We believe that's the best way of caring for Pokémon."

Isabelle nodded thoughtfully. "Do you have a special preference for electric-types or …?"

Spark shook his head. "No. Every Pokémon is valuable. I have a Pidgeotto and I called him Wingdings!" He looked so proud of the name that Isabelle couldn't help but burst out laughing.

"Wingdings? That's the best name I've heard so far."

At that, Spark looked so pleased with himself that he shot Blanche a grin, who merely shook their head in disapproval.

"Let me guess? You told him so?" Isabelle asked, causing Spark to chuckle.

"Yup. Blanche is very serious, though. Oh, have you met Candela yet? She's great! She's at the red stall, over there." He pointed at the place where a demonstration Pokémon battle was held. Their flag read Team Valour.

"Thank you! I'll be sure to check it out. Bye Spark! Bye Jolteon!"

Spark waved enthusiastically as Izzy left, nearly unseating Jolteon who was cradled in his arms.


	136. 136 Flareon

**#136 Flareon**

 _Flareon, the Flame Pokémon. One of the evolved forms of Eevee. It will fluff out its collar to cool down its high body temperature. This high temperature is caused by its internal flame sac. Flareon stores and heats inhaled air in this sac, and then exhales it as fire. Flareon is mostly found in populated areas, and is rarely seen in the wilderness. – Nurse Evergreen_

The last team leader present at the new trainers' fair had to be Candela, from Team Valour. Their stall was bright red with a fiery bird as their mascot. They were not hard to find.

Candela stood tall on her heels, despite the downtrodden grass, overlooking a practice battle. With a fierce look on her face, she inspected the trainers' techniques and Pokémon, occasionally giving orders in a curt voice. Very little escaped her notice. When the victory was achieved, she nodded with a slight smile on her lipsticked lips.

Isabelle approached her as the crowd had dispersed. "Candela? I am Nurse Isabelle Evergreen. You're the leader of Team Valour?"

The mocha-skinned woman looked over and nodded with a smile. "That's right." Down at her tights-clad legs, a Flareon was pleading for attention, rubbing his head against her legs like a Persian would do. Candela crouched a little to rub his head. "We of Team Valour seek to find the true strength of Pokémon, which takes skill and passion to discover. Few will recognise the hidden strength of the Magikarp, but those who do are able to raise it to the powerful Gyarados it can be."

Isabelle looked at her thoughtfully. "What if there's a Pokémon who's skittish? One who'd run away from battles or shy away from danger?"

"You have such a Pokémon, I take it?" Candela had quite a piercing stare, which made her a little uncomfortable, as if Isabelle had not been raising her Pokémon well. It probably worked wonders on young trainer that lost sight of their Pokémon's needs in their quest to obtain all the badges needed.

"Yes, I have her here." Isabelle took a Pokeball from her belt and summoned Ponyta. The blue colour of her fiery mane drew some attention. Even after so long, Ponyta flinched slightly when Izzy laid her hand on her neck.

"Gorgeous. She's exquisite. That pure white coat with that fire. It's so much hotter than what I've seen before. She's quite a catch." Clearly, Candela was in awe as she approached the horse slowly.

"She's beautiful, yet she's kicked me off many times whenever she gets startled. Whether it's a Gastly bothering her or a Rattata crossing the road, she has no self-confidence, nor the poise to keep going. I do believe that once we manage to sooth her fears, she can evolve into a Rapidash, but until then, she's stuck in this form. Too scared for personal growth, if you get what I mean?"

Candela nodded, stroking Ponyta's nose while cooing softly at her. "I love fire-types. I should not be biased, but dealing with them comes naturally to me. Have you been to Cinnabar to speak to Blaine or one of his trainers? He's the fire-type gym leader."

Isabelle confirmed that she had. They discussed some more ideas, yet the solution was far from clear or simple. "She's quite young, though. Maybe she'll mature with age?"

As children got closer, wishing to pet the horse-y without asking Isabelle for permission, Ponyta grew restless. Fearing she'd kick out and harm a kid, Izzy summoned her back. There was a collective 'aww' noise and people walked away, disappointed.

Candela rested the curve of her behind on the stall's table, looking at the young nurse. "The only advice I can give you is to have faith in your Pokémon's strength. Be strong for her and she can follow from your confidence. Be patient and understanding. Be persistent. Very few Pokémon are hard to raise, but once in a while, a challenge comes along. Welcome the challenge and both you and your Pokémon will grow from it."

Isabelle smiled and nodded. "Thank you, Candela. Have a good day."


	137. 137 Porygon

**#137 Porygon**

 _Porygon, the Virtual Pokémon. Porygon is a Pokémon made completely out of programming code. Due to its man-made origins, Porygon does not need to breathe or eat, though it can still accept food if given. Porygon has demonstrated the ability to change colour for camouflage. Because it's man-made, it is generally found, if at all, in computers, labs, or other buildings where people work. - Nurse Evergreen_

It is understandable that if you've created something you're proud of, you want to show it off. On the forum where Pokémon nurses, rangers, and researchers post their findings, such stories are not uncommon. For example, one person argued that giving a carnivorous Pokémon actual meat instead of berry-based Pokémon food will make it much more active and aggressive. The discussion whether people wish for more aggressive Pokémon had lasted for weeks. Another person had claimed to have bred the ultimate Pokémon and wished for people to observe its greatness. Most laughed at him but Nurse Isabelle, with a bad feeling in her stomach, had accepted the invitation and requested she could bring someone. Her request had been accepted.

Isabelle and Dominic walked together to the guy's lab, having met up in the town nearby. The lab somehow reminded Izzy of Oak's laboratory, yet without the homely feel. This place was in disrepair. Whenever a person claimed to have made an amazing discovery yet had obviously little money, alarm bells started to ring. A look at Dom's grim face showed a similar assessment. Isabelle reached out to hold his hand, smiled gently at him, and headed inside.

The interior of the building was in similar disrepair. She checked the address on her phone and looked around again. This was where a supposed ultimate Pokémon was supposed to live? It had been bred here, the researcher had said. Still, when she inhaled, she could only smell cheap instant noodles and other smells that came with irregular cleaning. Nothing that suggested a Pokémon lived here.

They entered into the main area of the laboratory, full of computers and wires and such. There were dozens of screens , showing endless lines of code, possibly to impress them by looking busy. Another man stood in the room, looking a bit uncertain. He was not the researcher they were supposed to meet but a brief talk revealed he was asked to come as well, after he had beaten the local gym.

"Lady and gentlemen, I am so glad you've been able to make it here. Let me introduce myself, for you'll hear this name for eternity! I am Doctor Castor, the inventor of Porygon!" A voice announced dramatically. The lights went off and when they turned on again, a balding man stood in the room, along with some sort of floating creature.

It was one of the most horrifying things Isabelle had ever seen. Aside from the fact it was entirely angular and its colours looked like they had been painted on, its eyes were dull. There was no recognition, no curiosity, and no life in them. This creature was unnatural.

"This is Porygon, the first man-made Pokémon. I've coded him myself, using these computers. The real trick was to get him out of the computer," Castor laughed, as if this was the funniest thing ever. Isabelle did not laugh, for she was still staring appalled. "Porygon does not need to be fed, nor does it feel pain. It'll simply fight until it breaks apart."

"Cool!" The trainer exclaimed. Izzy had nearly forgotten about him.

"Not cool!" Isabelle and Dominic said in unison. When Izzy looked over to smile at him, she saw he looked a bit pale.

"This is monstrous! You cannot go against nature like this! Pokémon are supposed to be living beings, of flesh and blood. Not some will-less machine. If we wished to fight with things that cannot feel, we'd do the simulated battling made for the computer. You know, those video games kids these days cannot stop playing. But real Pokémon trainers work with living Pokémon, not this abomination."

Even after Dom's reasonably harsh words, there was still no response from Porygon. Castor, however, paled. Isabelle held up her badge. "As a Pokémon official, I order you to dissemble it. Put it back into the computer, where it belongs. Have it guard you against viruses or something, I don't care, but do not let this thing loose in the real world."

Isabelle received a glare from the Pokémon trainer and the doctor quickly threw them out in anger, whereupon he closed his doors to them. It didn't matter to Izzy. She stood there, glaring at the doors and hoping he followed through. She would have to send someone over to ensure everything will be made in legal order.

From behind, strong arms wrapped around her tense body as Dominic buried his face in her neck. "I'm so glad you saw it the same way as I did. Come on, let's get out of here. We could both do with seeing some genuine Pokémon, I think."


	138. 138 Omanyte

**#138 Omanyte**

 _Omanyte, the Spiral Pokémon. Omanyte is considered extinct, although successful attempts have been done to revive it from fossils. Omanyte's shell seems to consist of several gas-filled chambers. It is believed these are used to regulate buoyancy within the water. By emptying or filling the chambers, it rises and falls respectively while using its tentacles to swim. Furthermore, Omanyte is believed to withdraw into its hard shell when attacked or endangered. However, this did not prevent it from becoming extinct. - Nurse Evergreen_

"Do I look okay?"

Nurse Isabelle looked over to her worried friend, who was smoothing down her skirt to dispel any imaginary wrinkles. Wendy Foxglove was wearing a white blouse with a high-waisted pink skirt with rolling Jigglypuff on it. To finish the look, she had pinned her short, sandy hair up and tied it with a pink bow she had borrowed from Izzy's collection. She looked both mature and cute. The outfit suited her greatly.

"More than okay. You look great, Wen," Isabelle smiled at her, earning her a smile back.

"But this is important!"

Isabelle looked outside for a moment to appreciate the rolling hills around them. The bus they were in shook lightly as it made good speed over the asphalt road. "I'm pleased you're taking this so seriously."

"Are you not nervous?"

Isabelle looked at her friend and shook her head serenely. "No. I've met Professor Oak several times. I highly respect him. One of my favourite things about him is that he is so casual. Once, when I was over there for research, he invited me over for dinner. That's the kind of man he is."

"And Gary?"

Isabelle regarded her with a raised eyebrow. "Gary Oak is his grandson. I don't know much about him, other than that he cares much for his grandfather and Pokémon in general. A good man, as far as I know, though a little stuck in his grandfather's shadow."

"I don't care whose grandson he is. Good with Pokémon, hm?" As expected, fame or money meant nothing to Wendy.

The bus arrived not long after that. Gary's flashy red cabriolet waited for them. Without a glance at the car, Wendy sat down in the backseat. "Good day, Gary."

Isabelle smiled at how poorly her friend was handling her nerves and sat down next to Gary in the passenger seat. As Gary put the car in first gear and drove off, Izzy spoke up:

"So, Professor Oak has obtained an interesting specimen?" Gary looked over with a slightly confused look. Isabelle merely shrugged. "His words, not mine. Something about new results in fossil research."

Gary let out a soft 'ah' of understanding and nodded. "Yes, he indeed mentioned that. I've yet to see them."

The ride to Oak's laboratory was too short for any more conversation; the two nurses stood in front of the lab in no time. Gary had driven off, mentioning he'd park the car. Taking her friend by the hand, Isabelle guided them inside. Opening the door without knocking, she yelled loudly: "Hello! It's us!" An incomprehensible shout was returned from the general direction of the main lab, so that's where Oak probably was. Wendy looked a little horrified at the casualness of Izzy entering someone else's house, but Izzy merely smiled at her.

Oak was on his knees in his lab, reaching out his hand to something that swiftly withdrew in its shell when the nurses arrived. Spotting he had visitors, Oak wiped off his hands and stood, albeit a little stiffly. "How good of you two to make it. Miss Evergreen, thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to accompany miss Foxglove here. I promise you: your time has not been wasted."

Isabelle waved her hand dismissively. "Don't worry about it, Professor. Wendy was nervous and wished for me to come. I'd do anything for a friend. What do you have there, anyway? I don't recognise it." She pointed at the Pokémon that had withdrawn into a helix-spiralled shell.

"That's what I wanted to show you. Come and look. It's very shy, so you'll have to be patient." Oak knelt down again and reached out his hand. Two eyes could be seen glistening from the safety of the shell before a blue Pokémon showed itself, rubbing his little tentacles against Oak's hand, causing him to chuckle. "This is an Omanyte. They went extinct many, many years ago but new research has been able to resurrect some complete samples. This specimen is truly unique."

Behind them, Gary had appeared quietly. He waved Wendy over to the door, leaving Isabelle and Professor Oak to their nerding about resurrected Pokémon. He took the nervous girl for a walk around the many fields of the lab, possibly hoping that the sight of Pokémon could calm her down and convince her to stay. He really wanted her to accept the internship.


	139. 139 Omastar

**#139 Omastar**

 _Omastar, the Spiral Pokémon. The evolved form of Omanyte. Just as its pre-evolved form, Omastar has been extinct since before written history. Knowledge of this Pokémon is limited, but it is known that its shell constantly grows, getting heavier over time and thus limiting its mobility. It is the weight of the shell that is most often theorised as the cause for Omastar's extinction. Omastar had a powerful jaw which was used to bite down on its victim with immense power. Even the hard shells of prehistoric Shellder stood no match to Omastar's deadly powerful bite. - Nurse Evergreen_

Nurse Wendy Foxglove might have been one of the oddest girls Gary Oak has ever met. There was no doubt she was qualified; he'd researched her thoroughly and discovered that Evergreen and Foxglove had indeed been classmates, graduating from the same school in the same year. Yet this girl was nothing like the confident blonde that was obliging his grandfather's obsession. Gary had difficulties deciding what the sandy-haired nurse was like at all.

For starters, she was highly passionate about Pokémon. Often, he would find she had wandered off in the middle of his explanation to pet one of the curious Pokémon that had approached the fence they neared. When she had disappeared for the third time, Gary stopped fighting it. He sat down on top of the wooden barricade and watched as the girl with the Jigglypuff skirt fondly whispered to a Slowpoke that was lounging nearby. She even picked it up, soiling her cute outfit, and carried it back to the water where the rest of its kind was. She stayed away for a while before returning with a few stones of a rusty colour. Gary could not see any value in them, but Nurse Foxglove clearly did.

"Here," she said, extending her dirty hands to him, clutching the rocks. "I found them over at the water. They reminded me of the maroon colour of your hair."

This was so unexpected that Gary barked out a laugh, startling the pretty girl in front of him. His laughter softened into a warm smile. "Thank you. It's just that … no one has ever done that before. Found rocks that reminded them of me. It's sweet." He accepted the rocks and wrapped them in a handkerchief before placing them in his pocket. When he looked up, she was beaming at him as if pocketing her gift made her the happiest woman alive. What a strange, but oddly endearing girl.

Meanwhile, at the laboratory, Isabelle stood with her legs in the water of the natural lake made for water-Pokémon under Oak's care. She had an Omanyte in her arms but no matter how hard she tried to sooth it, it would whimper and wiggle if she tried to lower it into the water. Even the evolved form, found hiding underneath some equipment in the lab itself did not wish to get anywhere near the water. Something in there scared them, for it was proven that Omanyte and its evolved form were water-typed.

As Isabelle approached land again, Omastar, the evolved form, cowered behind Oak's legs as if it were scared Izzy would try to dunk it again. When she put Omanyte back on the ground, it also hid behind Oak's legs, causing Isabelle to sigh.

"Something's wrong with that water and I'm going to find out what," she decided, pulling a Pokéball from her belt. With a swift throw, she summoned Dewgong. "Dewgong, please. Omanyte and Omastar are too scared to go into the water. Could you try to find out if something's the matter?"

"Dew gong gong gong!" With that cry, the ivory-coloured Pokémon disappeared into the surprisingly deep lake.

"How did you obtain such a natural-looking lake, anyway, Professor? It's almost like a mini ocean," Isabelle asked as they waited for her currently primary water-type to return.

"It was here when I settled here. It was rather Muk-y, but with donations from trainers all over the region, this place was cleaned up. Now, it's become a sanctuary to store Pokémon, so trainers can own more than six. In return for caring for them, I'm allowed to study all of them, which has improved my research immensely. If we could only get these fossils to settle, too, it'd be amazing."

Dewgong returned shortly after, looking much refreshed after such a swim but without any clue why the Omanyte and Omastar refused to enter the water. As Dewgong swam as close to the water's edge as he could, the two fossils suddenly began to move towards the sea lion. With their little tentacles, they rubbed Dewgong's slippery coat, rubbing themselves all against it. Confused, Isabelle watched and a sidewards glance told her Oak didn't have much explanation to give either.

"Are they … choosing Dewgong as their mother or kin, or something like that?" Isabelle asked. The Pokémon Professor nodded thoughtfully, mumbling something that sounded like a hesitant affirmative.

Dewgong seemed to know exactly what was going on and led the two Pokémon, that were feeling lost in this strange world, out into the water. Effortlessly, they swam rounds as if they've been doing this for years.

"Say, Professor. I think I might need to store my Dewgong here for as long as these two need him."

"I think you're right, Nurse Evergreen. I'm sorry to ask this of you," Oak responded. Isabelle merely sighed.

"I'm okay with it. I've got a baby Lapras to raise anyway, and it's for the best. Look at him. My playful, jolly Dewgong, suddenly taking a fatherly role. Who knew he'd wanted to be a father? If I had known, I would have introduced him to Lapras, but I hadn't had the time yet. Dewgong's very strong, you see, and I was afraid he might hurt her. She's still so young..."

"An understandable concern. Do not worry, Miss Evergreen. Your Dewgong will be well cared for."

"Thank you, Professor. I hope that I might visit him, sometimes."

At that moment, Wendy and Gary joined them. Izzy glanced disapprovingly at how filthy Wendy had become. Her clothing was wet and slightly muddy, and she had something on her hands that seemed like dirt. She did not even want to ask how that happened. Izzy probably had no right of speaking. When Pokémon were involved, she, too, became filthy occasionally.

"I'd like to accept your internship, Professor," Wendy said chipperly. Oak looked surprised at this, Gary smiled as if relieved, and Isabelle hugged her introverted friend, as she whispered how proud she was of her. Gary remained nearby, almost protectively. Isabelle did not mind. Just as Dominic cared for Izzy, Wendy could use someone to hold her as she was in one of her dreamy, floaty moods. She would be more than all right here in Pallet, Isabelle thought as she glanced at Gary.


	140. 140 Kabuto

**#140 Kabuto**

 _Kabuto, the Shellfish Pokémon. Kabuto has been thought to be extinct as of roughly 300 million years ago. In modern days, most living Kabuto are resurrected from fossils containing them, conveniently called 'dome fossils'. Considering the fact that Kabuto have been found fossilized lying on the ocean floor for millennia, they are thought to have lived on the beaches. It is also argued they have been fast and powerful swimmers. - Nurse Evergreen_

With modern technology booming, more and more fossils have been resurrected into Pokémon. After Oak's Omanyte, more cases were reported of these Pokémon experiencing a massive culture shock. Interestingly enough, that suggests they have some sort of memory of their life before being turned into a fossil.

Nurse Isabelle wasn't sure what to think about resurrecting fossils. One part of her thought it to be amazing, but it did not entirely feel right. She'd heard of an author, who was busy writing a book series about a mad researcher resurrecting many extinct Pokémon and putting them in a park to be looked at on one of the islands, like some kind of twisted zoo. In his book, the Pokémon escape and murder everyone, because prehistoric Pokémon are nothing like the reasonably tame Pokémon that are living right now.

Walking over a familiar beach, Izzy saw a lighthouse up ahead. Bill had called her to show off that he had one of these Pokémon as well. The guy had been obsessed with Kabuto for as long as she'd known him, so Izzy could make a pretty decent guess which one he had managed to obtain. By now, Isabelle did not bother to knock anymore. Being one of major researchers in this region, Bill had received visits from Izzy quite often, since he had the tendency to call whenever he thought he had discovered something. It was together with Bill that the young nurse had published an article on how chemicals can change the colour of fire, even in Pokémon, with the blue-fired Ponyta Izzy owned as proof.

Opening the door, Isabelle noticed two things: one, Bill had a Kabuto; and two, Bill had a guest. While the researcher was gushing in excitement about the Pokémon on the table that was making clicking noises, Isabelle inspected the stranger, who gazed at her. With a leather jacket, tight trousers, and boots he either was very confident or tried to look like he was. He appeared younger than her, which was curious. His hair was an absolute mess of black curls, looking like he needed a haircut badly.

"Oh, I am not sure if you guys ever met. Mike, meet Isabelle Evergreen. She's a Pokémon Nurse. Isabelle, this is Mike, a Pokémon Hunter," Bill motioned with his hand as he introduced them, pointing to the wrong person at the wrong time, unfortunately. Upon learning his profession, Isabelle made a noise of insulted disgust.

"Pokémon Hunter? There are only two kinds of people that call themselves that: poachers or those that capture Pokémon for those too lazy to do it, entirely taking away the challenge of catching and training Pokémon. So, which are you?!"

Mike took a step back, surprised by her ferocity. "My sweet lady nurse, I assure you, I am no poacher. It is true that I do capture Pokémon for people too lazy to do it themselves but I despise them as much as you do. I simply love the thrill of the battle and the euphoria of the capture. That's why I made it my profession. As a nurse, I'm sure you'll be delighted to know that I first check the Pokémon Shelter Service before capturing a wild one. I try to play my part in giving discarded Pokémon a new home."

Isabelle huffed, but nodded. She disliked confessing she might have been in the wrong, so the least she could do was to grant him the benefit of the doubt. A second look at him made her realise his clothing was dirty and worn, possibly suggesting that Pokémon Hunting did not pay as much as nursing did.

At that moment, Kabuto leapt off the table, scurried between Izzy's legs and disappeared underneath something. At the sight of the shell with glowy eyes clicking its way towards her, Isabelle shrieked and jumped to the side, much too late of course. Mike laughed heartily, earning him a half-hearted glare.

"I had not expected a Nurse to be scared of anything!"

"Oh hush," Izzy replied. "I just find them unsettling, with their clicking noises and their pupil-less, glowing eyes. Unlike some kids, I was not fascinated by the extinct Pokémon when I was younger."

The Hunter chuckled. "Oh, I was one of them. I love Kabuto and its evolution. I think they're the best."

"Tastes differ, I suppose. I used to love Eevee, wishing to study how it changed to suit its surroundings better. Though trainers evolving Eevee in a certain way of their liking entirely defeats their purpose."

"Got it!" Bill emerged from underneath his computers, holding the Kabuto in his hands. At the sight of the little legs that were still moving as if it walked in the air, Isabelle shuddered, making Mike chuckle again.


	141. 141 Kabutops

**#141 Kabutops**

 _Kabutops, the Shellfish Pokémon. The evolved form of Kabuto. It is believed that Kabutops can retreat into its shell to help it swim extremely fast. With its sharp scythes, it can cut enemies effortlessly. Scientists believe it was in the process of evolving into a land dweller before it went extinct. Kabutops, like Kabuto, prefer to live in seclusion and will become very hostile when provoked. - Nurse Evergreen_

When her legs crossed, Nurse Isabelle sat and watched Bill interact with the shy Kabuto in the lighthouse that served as his laboratory. Mike, the Pokémon Hunter, sat next to her.

"Where did you find it, anyway?" Isabelle asked.

"Hm?"

"The Kabuto."

"Oh," he said. "Recent excavations have produced many fossils. Breeders will breed and the demand is high. I received this one rather easily when I showed Bill's letter."

"I'd hate to be here when it evolves. I heard it won't happen soon, but Kabutops are vicious, especially when they feel threatened or scared. I … oh, bugger," the blond nurse cursed when a bright light came from a bit further ahead. She did not need to look what it was, for the light was undoubtedly a Pokémon evolving and there was only one in this room.

As Izzy covered her face in exasperation, the tiny shellfish Pokémon grew bigger and, more importantly, grew scythes. It stood up tall, stretched his neck, and made a sound that could only be described as a scream. As he lunged for Bill, Mike tossed a Pokéball at it, returning it to its ball. Isabelle sighed in relief and Bill sat down on the ground.

"I had not expected that," the researcher said weakly.

"I had," Izzy groaned as she got off the table she had been sitting on. "This is why pre-historic Pokémon are a bad idea. Actually, underestimating any Pokémon is ill advised. People tend to forget Pokémon can cause harm. They're not all as innocent and cuddly as Meowth."

"Agreed," Mike still held the Pokéball in his hand. "Though most Pokémon have been living near humans long enough not to harm them. These pre-historic ones are entirely confused where they are."

Bill stood up, approaching the nurse and the younger hunter. "Michael, could you stay here for a while? I'd like to study Kabutops with you around to interfere if anything goes wrong."

"Certainly, sir."

"Nurse Isabelle. Thank you for coming. Was there anything you wished from me?"

"Yes, actually. I have some research I'd like you to look at and I'd hoped to pick up a batch of water-type hatchling Pokémon food."

"Ah yes! The Lapras. I read your article. Glorious creature. I look forward to seeing it grow. If you'll follow me?" With that, Bill headed upstairs, higher into the lighthouse. Isabelle turned to Mike.

"Good luck on the rest of your journey."

"You too, Nurse Isabelle." Mike waved at her and left the lighthouse, pulling the heavy door shut behind him.


	142. 142 Aerodactyl

**#142 Aerodactyl**

 _Aerodactyl, the Fossil Pokémon. Due to the sharp appearance on Aerodatyl's fangs, it is theorised to be a carnivore. Its talon-like feet are capable of scooping up and tightly clutching its prey in flight. Its serrated fangs and ferocious attitude are very imposing, and it is said to be capable of effortlessly ripping out enemies' throats. – Nurse Evergreen_

It'd been a small while since Nurse Isabelle had given the Tauros she captured in reflex to Dominic Whitewater. Now they finally managed to meet up again. As the summer was ending, both grew busier with their work, so meeting up was proving more difficult every time. Recently, Dom had texted Izzy a picture of his Tauros, mentioning he's managed to train it some and that he wished to meet up with her. He'd ended the text message saying he missed her, which had nearly melted her heart.

The place where they had chosen to meet had the most luscious grass Izzy had ever seen. Riding on Ponyta's back, Isabelle slowly explored the area, enjoying the quiet moment. Having had Ponyta for a few months now, the young nurse rode rather confidently, despite having been a beginner when she caught the blue-maned Ponyta.

From further up the road, something whipped up a cloud of dust with a thundering sound. Ponyta underneath her became a little nervous and retreated further into the tall grass to get out of the way of that which was fast approaching. Pidgey flew up terrified and Rattata dashed away to prevent being trampled by Ponyta's hooves.

As the freight train got closer, Isabelle could see what it was. A Tauros slowed to a stop in front of the grass, carrying a dishevelled-looking Dominic on his back. He had dressed accordingly, with a pair of riding trousers and a red flannel shirt. He genuinely looked like Johtian Safari Zone resident he was. Izzy, on the other hand, wore a dark-blue polo shirt and standard riding trousers for women which hugged her hips wonderfully, if she said so herself.

"Hey there, Izz. Good to see you. You look amazing. Wanna race?" Dominic grinned at her, lining his impatient Tauros up. It took quite a lot more convincing to get Ponyta to stand next to him. Whereas Tauros seemed entirely ready to race, Ponyta didn't look so sure. However, when the starting sign was given, Ponyta dashed off first, as if to get away from the intimidating Tauros as fast as possible.

As they ran, something peculiar happened. Something Dom and Izzy would talk about for weeks. Instead of acting like his usual, jerkish self, Tauros' entire demeanour changed as he ran with Ponyta. He seemed almost careful. Ponyta, in turn, ran better than she ever had, as if she had not a care in the world. The elegant, fiery steed ran in sync with the rough, wild bull.

This balance was ruptured when an unfamiliar Pokémon flew over. The shrill scream caused Ponyta to buck startled and Tauros stumbled. In the tall grass to their side, the dragon-like Pokémon descended, sending ripples through the grass from the might of his wings. He didn't quite land, only beat his huge wings to suspend himself a short way up.

"Lance! Mate, how are you?!" Dominic shouted over the roaring wind. Isabelle was too scared by the Pokémon to notice who was riding it. No matter how often she'd seen its image or studied its anatomy, an Aerodactyl was a terrifying Pokémon.

"Hey, you guys! Sorry for dropping in on you like that. You should come and visit me soon! I have something of use for you, I think," Lance called out. His red hair wasn't restrained and waved wildly in the wind his Aerodactyl whipped up. Ponyta nearly bucked again but Tauros rubbed his snout against hers, which effectively calmed her.

"Will do! Now get out of here. You're scaring my Ponyta!" Isabelle yelled, making a shooing motion with her hands. Lance laughed and roared at Aerodactyl to fly again.


	143. 143 Snorlax

**#143 Snorlax**

 _Snorlax, the Sleeping Pokémon. Snorlax's body is composed of mostly its belly, where most of its fat reserves accumulate. It is often found in mountains and forests, only waking up to eat. It is not a picky eater, as its strong stomach allows it to eat even mouldy food without feeling any ill effects. When hungry, it is not satisfied until it consumes 400 kg of food. Snorlax is docile enough to let children and small Pokémon bounce on its large stomach._

The morning after the race, Nurse Isabelle and Dominic the Ranger packed for a large hike and went into the thick forest nearby. Dominic had called it a scouting mission and Isabelle filed herself, officially, as a field medic on this mission, so they were free to go. It did mean they had to give a report of their findings, but that would not be too difficult. Izzy mentioned to Dom she had several other reports she still wished to publish anyway.

The forest was thick and full of life. Caterpie and Weedle crawled over branches and into the trees. Pidgey and Spearow were nestled into the treetops, occasionally calling out for their kin. None of Izzy's Pokémon were considered useful for such a hiking trip, so she'd kept all of them inside their balls. Ivysaur would have loved it here, but he was not with her at the moment. Maybe, one day, she'd pick him up if he was willing to say goodbye to Rosie, the rose-subspecies Ivysaur that lived in Erika's gym back in Celadon City.

Dominic's Raichu was out, but this was no surprise. He was incredibly fond of his first Pokémon, who had grown up in the Safari Zone. Raichu was a peace-maker and got along with just about every Pokémon. While Isabelle was struggling a little, flinching when a Beedrill got too close, Dom looked entirely in his element. He kept pointing at stuff for her to look at, whether it's a slightly bigger Caterpie or a pretty flower. He had a surpisingly keen eye for picking out details amid the noise of the undergrowth and thick trees. After the hundredth time he called out something, Isabelle looked up, interested. His voice had been slightly different. From "look, this is cool" to "you really need to see this." He'd found a trail of a big Pokémon. Finally something bigger than Pidgey or Paras. Much bigger.

When Isabelle caught up to him, he pointed to where the foliage was damaged. The shrubs were decidedly less full than those Izzy had seen earlier, as if something had eaten them bare. Branches were snapped off the trees and laid trampled on the ground.  
"What could have done this?" Isabelle asked at a whisper, as if that which caused it was nearby and dangerous.  
"Tricky to say. Something big, at least. My instinctual guess would be a Snorlax, but something like a Rhydon could have caused such destruction," Dominic replied, tapping his lip thoughtfully.  
"Snorlax does seem right. These branches have been eaten from, not destroyed for the sake of chaos," Isabelle mused as they kept walking, following the trail. They did not track him because they thought he was in trouble, but for fun and curiosity.  
A short while further, Isabelle shrieked when her foot slid away. Luckily for her, Dom caught her swiftly, pulling her back to safe ground. The slope had been hidden by the foliage and was nearly invisible. More worryingly, the trail of destruction intensified on the way down.  
"Do you think what I think?" Dominic asked carefully. Isabelle nodded.  
"Our friend has fallen down the slope."  
"I was afraid of that, as well. Seems like we need to find a safe way down. He could be in trouble."

Has it ever been mentioned that Izzy did not feel at home with mud and other filth? Hiking was no problem, but she hated becoming dirty. It made her want to wash immediately. For those who have never tried it before, skidding down a slope slippery from mud, holding on to trees and vines and the occasional Ekans for dear life, was a dirty job. Within seconds, her trousers were muddy up to her thighs and whatever was on the trees clung to her hands, arms, face, and hair. Isabelle felt disgusting and wished to shower badly.  
Dominic moved as elegantly as a Dewgong in the water, not minding the streaks of tree sap on his hands, nor the way his boots became caked with mud. He was a man on an exciting mission, in this view.  
At the bottom of the hill, the forest began to thin and the earth evened out. However, their friend never made it. Mere meters before the slope ended, a Snorlax was caught in vines, dangling above the ground. Isabelle took a moment to admire the way the vines held the struggling Snorlax, impressed by the way they held his weight.  
Dom, however, immediately acted. He grabbed a ball from his waist to summon Kingler, whose claw could snap the vines with ease. Raichu had settled on his stomach, occasionally zapping Snorlax lightly to stun him, preventing him from fighting too hard.  
Dom and Kingler were an amazing team; Dominic sought which vines could be snapped by Kingler and then unwound them from Snorlax's limbs.  
Eventually, the support was thinned to such an extent that Snorlax fell. Raichu leapt off into Izzy's arms, but when Snorlax came crashing down, several things happened at once: Snorlax rolled further down the hill, raised his muddy body to a standing position and marched off; a cracking sound could have been heard when Snorlax came down; and Dominic shouted in a way she had never heard him shout before.

When Snorlax was gone, Isabelle could see what happened as Raichu leapt out of her arms to rush forward. Kingler laid on the ground with his one half of his crabby legs in painful looking positions. It did not take a Pokémon nurse to know that some of them, at least, were broken. Dominic looked frightened in his concern for his Pokémon.  
"Don't just stand there. Summon him back to his ball and let's go! Move it! We're going to a centre. I need better equipment to get this right!"  
From a squeamish city girl to a demanding Pokémon nurse, Isabelle sure switched quickly.  
Dominic snapped into action, with her words as a stimulus. They ran to the nearest town. Raichu refused to go into her ball and ran along with them. All their morning exercise worked out as the electric rodent had no problem keeping up.

Now it was time for Isabelle to be in her element and for Dominic to feel out of place. Without hesitation, the blond nurse barged into the centre, shouting for an emergency room. She mentioned for Dominic to come, knowing better than to take the ball away from him.  
The centre was small and relatively calm, so this was the only dire case. Within moments, Isabelle had summoned her own Chansey and grabbed herself some gloves and an apron while Chansey, having had the proper medical training, prepared anything she might need for fractures.  
When Kingler laid on the table and was sedated by Chansey's singing, Izzy gently guided Dominic out of the room. A surgery was for medical staff only.  
The procedure itself was unpleasant. All four of his left legs were broken in several places. No wonder when one is crushed by something as heavy as a Snorlax. The tricky part was that Kingler was old already. His claw was worn down with scars and several of the spikes over his body had blunted. A young Pokémon could heal from this with little problem but not someone as old as Kingler.  
After a few hours, Isabelle turned off the light and declared the procedure done. She hugged her Chansey and headed outside to face the trainer, who also was her boyfriend.  
As Chansey spoke to Raichu, Isabelle explained to Dominic:  
"He's fine. I've set his legs, put them in a cast and left them to heal. He'll wake up soon. However, I don't think he'll be the same. I'm afraid that battling will cause his injuries to hurt him. Maybe it's time to retire him. He can have an excellent life, but as a Ranger's Pokémon, his time is up. I'm sorry."

Dominic embraced her, and kissed the side of her cheek gratefully. "You were amazing, Izzy. Thank you." He said the words with a great deal of sincerity and smiled at her. His place, though, was with his Pokemon and, without any further words, he stepped past her to stay with Kingler.  
Despite the bad news she had had to give, Izzy felt rather good. This field medic stuff was much more exciting than being a travelling nurse. Once she had her shower, she'd be even better.


	144. 144 Articuno

**#144 Articuno for DragonFelicis**

 _Articuno, the Freeze Pokémon. When Articuno flaps its wings, it can chill the moisture in the air around it, making snow fall. It flies from icy mountain to icy mountain. According to legend, it appears before doomed travellers lost in icy regions. Articuno sometimes aids these travellers and guides them to safety. Articuno lives in cold, isolated locations, such as mountain peaks. – Nurse Evergreen_

The advantage of posting articles online was that people could contact Nurse Isabelle and talk to her about her journeys. Another nurse from a northern outpost, for example, had responded to a recent article by inviting her over, promising a truly spectacular sight. Of course, Isabelle could not resist the temptation. The blond nurse knew this woman, like how she knew many other colleagues. Like the Goth Joy from Saffron City, this Joy also decided to differ from their family's characteristic appearance.

The first part of the journey north had been done on Ponyta, making swift time as she could gallop through fields and over sandy roads that no bus or car could take. However, it soon began to get rather cold and a bit too rocky for the horse to continue. A Rapidash was a stronger runner, but Ponyta clearly wasn't ready to evolve yet, which was fine to Izzy. So the nurse thanked her fiery steed and switched her out to summon Pidgeot.

Pidgeot, her bold bird, loved a challenge. Tall mountains and icy weather was just the kind of thing he wished to be summoned for. On his back, she soared effortlessly to the lone Pokémon centre up in the icy mountains. This was a very remote area where very few people came. Those that did venture this far north knew this centre very well. It had saved many weary travellers from an unpleasant end in the harsh mountains. The nurse that worked here had a personality as warm as the hearth fires that burned all over the place. She trained only fire Pokémon who helped her keep her centre warm.

Isabelle always underestimated how cold it exactly was up in the mountains. Flying on Pidgeot's back, she felt the icy wind cut straight through her soft pink, winter coat. When the centre finally appeared, it was a sight for sore eyes. Descending as close to the door as she could manage, Izzy took her Pidgeot inside. He was a tad too big for the door, but he deserved to bask in the warmth of the living room.

You see, this centre wasn't clinical like most centres were. The Joy of Snow Peak had designed her centre like a log cabin. Instead of a lobby, there was a living room. The standard lay-out of the bedrooms had been changed to something homelier, with art from young, promising artists. Instead of a Chansey, Joy partnered up with a Jynx, who could endure the cold outside very well. It was her only non-fire type.

As Pidgeot settled in the living room, Isabelle headed over to the office, where she would find Joy. However, in the door opening, she stood still, astonished. Instead of the pink hair she had expected, she found a lady with very short, very red hair. It wasn't that it didn't look good on her; it did, truly. It was just so unexpected. As a matter of greeting, Izzy ran her hair though that short hair, making the Joy laugh.

"It's quite different, isn't it?"

"Yes," Isabelle answered. "And yet it represents what you stand for so well. It entirely makes sense, and I'm surprised I only see it just now. What's the colour called on the box? Magmar?"

"Nah. Vulpix, but it turned out redder than I expected. With time, it'll tone down to something hopefully similar to a Vulpix colour."

Izzy laughed and hugged her friend. Telling each other stories, they headed back into the living room to make Izzy some lunch and tea, and get Pidgeot something to eat.

"Excuse me, miss?" Both ladies turned around to find the source of the utterance. A young man sat on the couch with a glass of gluhwine, which is a warm, spiced wine. To Izzy's embarrassment, Pidgeot had also crawled onto the couch, cooing and rubbing his head against the guy's chest.

"Oh, I am terribly sorry. Pidgeot, come back." With the Pokéball, she swiftly summoned her bird back. "He sometimes forgets he's not that tiny anymore."

"It's all good," the young man put his cup down on a coaster on table and stood up, stretching his hand out. "I am Felix, and you are?" Felix was a pleasant looking man, about Izzy's age. His voice was smooth and his manner confident. His brown hair was in need of a trim for it slightly hung into his eyes. His clothing was functional, with a woollen sweater and black trousers. He was not wearing shoes and his socks, with a Pokéball pattern, were visible. They made Izzy smile.

"Nurse Isabelle Evergreen. It's a pleasure to meet you," she shook his hand, giving him a pleasant smile.

Before the blond nurse had time to sit down with something to eat and something warm to drink, a sudden snowstorm whipped up. It alarmed Izzy, but the Joy swiftly pulled on her coat and told Isabelle to do the same. They apparently were going outside. Felix could not head outside with his lack of shoes and therefore was forced to stay inside where it was warm.

Followed by Jynx, Joy and Izzy dashed outside. There, they huddled close to preserve warmth and shield each other from the wind. As quickly as it had come, the snow storm disappeared. When the women could see again, two travellers lay in front of them. Their lips were purple and they were hardly breathing. As Joy and Jynx carried them inside, Isabelle caught a glimmer in the corner of her eye.

A massive bird sat perched right on top of the centre's logo, watching over the travellers as they were carried inside. He was much bigger than Pidgeot and certainly more majestic. His icy-blue coat glimmered like sun on snow. His powerful wings were folded inwards as he watched over the valley that was visible from Snow Peak Centre's front door. This was an Articuno, a guardian of the icy mountains and everyone that lived there.

It was a sight Isabelle could never forget. For a moment, Articuno resembled a caring mother as it watched over Joy and her centre. Certain the two travellers would be safe, he spread his wings and lifted off, whipping up icy winds with the beats of his wings. By the time it was possible to see again, Articuno was gone.


	145. 145 Zapdos

**#145 Zapdos for Dragon Queen**

 _Zapdos, the Electric Pokémon. When Zapdos flaps its glittering wings, it releases electricity that can potentially cause thunderstorms. It produces massive crackling and snapping sounds when it flies; these are attributed to the lightning bolts it sheds when airborne. When struck by lightning, it gains power. Zapdos reportedly only appears during thunderstorms and is said to live among thunderclouds. However, it is rarely seen. – Nurse Evergreen_

In the little town Nurse Isabelle had been residing at, things had become restless. For days, thick thunderclouds had been rolling around above the hamlet. It was so severe that it had become somewhat difficult to differ day from night. Instead of becoming worried or even scared, the villagers were excited. They stood outside their houses, chatting with their neighbours.

After a bit of asking around, Isabelle discovered this particular village worshipped the mythical bird of lightning, Zapdos. According to a very talkative old lady, these storms were the proof that Zapdos was near, so everyone had gathered outside to catch a glimpse of their Lord of Lightning.

One part of Izzy was incredibly worried; standing outside in intense thunderstorms was an incredibly bad idea because it was so dangerous. However, their love for the Pokémon and their faith was admirable, so she kept silent. She was no officer and therefore it was not her task to reprimand them.

Except for locals, tourists had gathered to see the spectacle as well. One person that was particularly noticeable was a small teenager. The girl had blue hair, which looked dyed, and was small of stature. Her hair hung carelessly over one eye, obscuring her view. In her arms, she held a smallish Raichu with a tuft of hair sticking out from the fur on his chest. The size of the electric type suited the girl, but it made Izzy wonder whether it had evolved prematurely. Raichu's electric sacs on his cheeks sparked in excitement.

"You're here for the show?" The nurse asked as she approached the girl.

"Sure am! I'm Rize. I've tracked Zapdos for a long time to predict his arrival today."

"Nurse Isabelle Evergreen. I've stumbled here by chance, though I don't exclude the possibility of following the electric energy in the air. You said you've tracked Zapdos for a long while. Why?"

"Because I want to capture him!"

A statement, normally so applauded, made Isabelle frown deeply. She snapped before she could help herself. There went her resolve to stop chastising people… "What is it with you people and capturing these mythical birds? When I wrote about Articuno, I was asked why I did not capture him. Have you any idea why these birds are so rare? Because their chicks take eighteen years to mature and because they are constantly being captured!"

Rize flinched at the intensity of Izzy's outburst, making her feel slightly guilty. However, she was not sorry for what she preached. Before anything else could be said, someone shouted and pointed to the sky. What Isabelle originally thought to be a bolt of lightning was a glimpse of a wing, crackling with energy. Whether Zapdos was sentient enough to know he was being worshipped was unsure, but he did swoop down to receive calls of admiration and even bows.

Isabelle was in awe; the way Zapdos' body seemed to made of electricity was astonishing. Raichu, for example, was mostly a rodent of flesh and blood with a lightning rod tail and electric-charged cheeks. However, Zapdos seemed to be a being of lightning. The name 'Lord of Thunder' suddenly made a lot of sense. He was one with the thunderclouds, weaving through them effortlessly.

In the corner of her eye, the blond nurse saw Rize rummage through her bag to pull out a blue Great Ball. Just as she was about to throw it, Isabelle grabbed her wrist tightly. "Not on my watch, you don't," she hissed furiously. It wasn't common that the nurse became mad, but this was one of the rare occasions.

It was one thing to form an alliance with these birds, working together to achieve a common goal. But a mere 15-year-old could never control the sheer power that was Zapdos, were he more common. These birds were extremely difficult to catch, but it could be done with these special Pokéballs nowadays. It was then that Isabelle formed a dream to protect these creatures once she was done travelling. She'd help raise their numbers and protect them from opportunistic poachers like this naïve girl.


	146. 146 Moltres

**#146 Moltres for PrincessLostSoul**

 _Moltres, the Flame Pokémon. Moltres sheds embers with every flap of its wings, creating a brilliant flash of flames as it flies. By dipping itself into the magma of an active volcano, this Pokémon can heal itself. It's been seen migrating to the south with the coming of spring, and is said to bring an early springtime to cold lands. Moltres is rarely seen, however. – Nurse Evergreen_

Because it was so important to Nurse Isabelle that these elemental birds – Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres – were treated with the respect they deserved, she not only wrote a lot about it for a while but also visited places of worship. The Joy of Snow Peak, where Isabelle had spotted the Articuno, supported her in this endeavour. That Joy had also built a little shrine in her centre as a sign of respect and gratitude to the guardian of the mountain range her centre was in.

Isabelle made another visit, this time to a more southern region, where supposedly a temple had been built to honour Moltres. It was on an island near Cinnabar Island so the climate would be similarly hot. Leaning against the railing of the ferry, Isabelle watched parents with small kids enjoy their time off until September would come and schools started again. Izzy wore her pair of shorts again with a tank-top to give her milky shoulders some sun. Whenever the sun kissed her skin, she merely grew more freckles, however.

Hefting her backpack up her shoulders, Izzy was one of the first to disembark, wary of the long road ahead. She'd ride Ponyta, but her attire wasn't suited for it. The leather of the saddle would chafe her legs raw, so she settled for walking. With a slight breeze, it was really pleasant out. Not being one for the cold, Isabelle enjoyed her walk in the sunlight and shade from the trees as she marched up the volcano.

True enough, there were buildings visible against the volcano. There were on a smaller mountain, almost a hill. At first it was unclear how to get up there but, walking the path up the volcano, it soon became clear. A rope bridge was suspended between the volcano and the temple, where lava would not be able to reach it.

Not often had Izzy feared for her life, but the rope bridge was terrifying. To hover hundreds of meters above the ground on a wooden bridge made her clutch the Pokéball containing Pidgeot. If she fell, she'd toss it and hopefully be saved before she fell to her death. Slightly comforted, Izzy walked on until, after what felt like a lifetime, she made it to the opposite side.

At the temple, a woman awaited her. She wore a dress with the pattern of flames on it, which hid her hands and feet from view. Her hair was blond and curly, like Izzy's, but cut much shorter to frame her face and give her a playful look. A Flareon sat at her feet.

"Welcome to the Moltres Shrine, Nurse Isabella," she said with a slightly dreamy tone.

"Isabelle," Izzy corrected, but the priestess paid no heed.

"We're honoured to have you here. The Joy from Cinnabar reads your articles and suggested we invite you for some publicity. Your ideology is noble and fits our cause."

It sometimes bothered Izzy how much rested on publicity and money. Temples for the sake of faith were almost unheard of. But she kept silent as she followed the girl into the temple. There was a brief tour, but Isabelle didn't pay much attention after the first few rooms. Most chambers looked absolutely the same; either bare in which the priestesses lived, or with a brazier of Moltres' flames.

Eventually, she excused herself to stand in front of the biggest brazier of all, which stood on some sort of patio-balcony overlooking the rest of the island and the sea. Specks of islands could be seen at the horizon. It was one of the most gorgeous things Izzy had ever seen.

A cry had all the priests and priestesses in a flurry of activity as they robed and assembled at the patio Isabelle was standing at. A figure moved in the distance, coming closer and closer. The first thing that came into focus were the flames, which caused the younger ones behind her to go into a frenzy.

When Moltres neared the temple and spread her wings to land, Isabelle noticed something even more interesting than the mythical bird of flame. A tiny bird flew with her, one the size of a Pidgeotto. Moltres had a young! This was truly unique.

The fiery bird did not stay long. It stood protectively near its young as the priests and priestesses bowed in reverence. However, as Moltres and the baby prepared to leave again, having accepted some food, Pidgeot released himself from his Pokéball. Stunned, Isabelle was too late to stop him as the medical bird, which was as tall as Mamma Moltres, hopped over and puffed out his chest. As Pidgeot showed off his powerful wings and cooed excitedly, probably bragging of his job as a hero, baby Moltres looked up in awe. When Mamma Moltres rubbed her beak against Pidgeot's, Izzy's heart sank.

Slowly, she approached the tall bird, stroking his plumage. "You planned this, didn't you? Was being a medical bird part of the plan, to make yourself special enough for her? She seems to like you. Will you be okay, though?" Pidgeot cooed and rubbed his beak against Izzy's hair, preening. His face was hot from Moltres' flames. "All right, then. Go ahead, big buddy. Be happy." She chuckled and added: "give this little one here a brother or sister."

As Pidgeot and the two Moltres flew away, Isabelle had a heavy heart. She'd vowed to help the birds of legends regain their numbers, but she had not expected to lose a friend so soon because of that vow. It was for the best, Izzy told herself, despite the fact she only had three filled Pokéballs left.


	147. 147 Dratini

**#147 Dratini**

 _Dratini, the Dragon Pokémon. As long as Dratini is filled with life energy, it is constantly growing, and can thus reach lengths of over six feet. As it grows, it sheds its skin regularly. Whenever Dratini undergoes shedding, it hides behind a large waterfall. Although this Pokémon was originally thought to be nothing more than a myth, it has been found in colonies living underwater. – Nurse Evergreen_

Now that the hectic days of travelling were done for this season, Nurse Isabelle had settled somewhere to focus on her Pokémon. Ponyta needed to have exercise every day, Chansey needed training in fieldwork, and maybe most importantly, Izzy had a baby Lapras to raise. One of the safest places to do all this was the Safari zone. Maybe Dominic was rubbing off on her, but the young nurse began to see the charm of the wild area. Pokémon seemed to love it there, able to run freely without much concern of trainers. The Safari zone had limited opening hours to prevent over-hunting and was most of the time a wildlife sanctuary.

Deep in the Safari zone was a lake. Isabelle had ridden there on Ponyta's back and let her graze undisturbed. Chansey was not out. They'd do a night-shift with the rangers that night and she wanted her Pokémon to be well rested for that, since it'd be a long night. It was an idyllic place, that lake; a waterfall descended gently from not too high, foaming the water up with a pleasant sound. The lake itself was deceptively deep, which gave the water a deep blue colour. Furthermore, it was surprisingly cold; Izzy's toes were slightly numb as she splashed her feet in the water.

This was as safe as Isabelle could find and so she let her Lapras swim around here. The ice/water type had grown a little since it had hatched. No longer was her shield smooth. It had little nubs on it now which would later grow into hard extrusions to hold onto as that person was carried on Lapras' back.

There was something else in the water, Izzy noticed, as Lapras kept diving under and staying away for whole minutes. Yet the blonde was not worried for she had read up on what could possibly be in there. Magikarp, Goldeen: the usual Water-types. Maybe something more rare, but that was less likely. However, when a smooth head with purple eyes and a bump on its forehead appeared, Izzy sat up startled. Several Dratini surfaced at once, swimming around her young Lapras who seemed to be having the time of her short life. She kept squealing excitedly when one leapt over her shield.

When Izzy moved, however, they all shot away, only to appear a bit further away. Lapras called to them, maybe telling them not to be afraid? Eventually, the Dratini were convinced enough to get so near Izzy that the fins on their heads brushed against Izzy's toes, making her giggle.

"What did you tell them, Lapras?" she asked, still smiling. She did not expect an answer at all, so when Lapras turned around and glowed a bit, it came as an absolute surprise.

"Mama," she could hear in her mind. A child-like voice said it, female and young. When the glowing stopped, the voice faded away and Lapras swam away to play some more with the Dratini.

Isabelle could have fainted from shock right there. She had heard of the psychic abilities of Lapras, but since the species were so rare, little research had been done on it. Multiple thoughts and emotions filled her. She was on one hand excited to be able to communicate with her Lapras, yet on the other side, she feared something would happen to the species if she ever wrote about it. If the wrong people learnt that Lapras could bridge between human speech and Pokémon speech, they'd be hunted to extinction for sure.

No, Isabelle decided as she watched her innocent baby play. This secret must never be exposed.


	148. 148 Dragonair

**#148 Dragonair**

 _Dragonair, the Dragon Pokémon. The evolved form of Dratini. Dragonair emits a gentle aura that gives it a mystical appearance. It has been seen making it wings grow larger in order to fly, but otherwise moves through the air unaided. Dragonair hosts a large amount of energy within its body, which it can discharge through the crystal orbs on its neck and tail. This causes its body to brighten and give off a different aura that changes the weather in its vicinity. – Nurse Evergreen_

Over time, Dominic Whitewater had become good friends with Lance, a member of the Elite Four specialised in dragons and dragon-like Pokémon. Every time Dom planned a visit, he asked his girlfriend to come with him, if she had the time.

It wasn't that Nurse Isabelle minded the visits, but she sometimes felt a bit like a third wheel. She did not have the relationship with Lance that Dominic did. Of course she was happy he had friends and wasn't ungrateful that he brought her. She just felt unnecessary, and that frustrated her more than anything in the whole world.

As Lance and Dom laughed about something Izzy had not paid attention to, she wandered away to investigate the Pokémon lounging in the water of the natural lake, which lay nearby Lance's house. His red Gyarados swam nearby, moody as ever though not nearly as aggressive as when she had last seen him. Though she was trained to be able to treat all Pokémon, Gyarados were among those that were the trickiest. Izzy lacked the iron will to handle one. Her confidence was not strong enough to turn a Gyarados obedient.

The nurse's attention instead rested on Lance's Dragonair. She might be a little biased, but she found the creature stunning, along with both its pre-evolved and evolved forms. Dragonair's scales shone healthily and he was impressively long. While Lance's opinion of the superiority of dragons might be slightly annoyingly elite, Izzy could not deny he was talented at caring for his Pokémon.

Lazily, Dragonair opened an eye and approached Izzy, wrapping himself around her body three times with ease. Isabelle didn't resist, and instead stroked his serpentine body as he cradled her within his coils. Like that, Lance and Dom found her. The former laughed heartily while Dominic gave her one of those fond smiles that made her stomach flutter.

"Have you heard of the problems in Johto?" Lance asked, as he sat down to be on eye-height with the nurse. Shocked, the ranger paused in his seating, remaining in an awkward, kneeling position.

"No. What's going on?" He asked intently. The dragon tamer regarded him with a hint of sadness.

"There's been an all-time high of crime. The amount of Pokémon being poached has sky-rocketed. Rumour goes that an evil gang is behind this. They supposedly call themselves Team Rocket?"

Isabelle snorted at the silly name but Dom shut her up with a look. His home region was in danger. As a ranger, this was disastrous to him.

"I need to go back. I'll enlist myself. I must help stop this," he muttered grimly.

"I'll come with you," Isabelle suggested, only to be immediately cut off.

"No!"

The young nurse glared at her boyfriend. "You are not the boss of me. Do not forget for one moment that I am a certified nurse. I can do fieldwork. I've trained to be a medic, doing missions alongside rangers such as yourself. I've travelled this region for a year now. I am not a delicate girl that needs to be protected!"

Lance recoiled at the viciousness of Izzy's words but her anger was not directed at him. Her eyes, normally warm like the forest, now hard as jade, were fixed on the ranger, who met hers sorrowfully.

"It's not that you're delicate or incapable, Iz. I don't want you hurt. I couldn't stand seeing you in danger, especially not over something I dragged you into. If Team Rocket really are as dangerous as Lance suggests, this is not the pleasant trip the 10-year-olds get to see. People get injured fighting for Pokémon welfare. It would kill me if something happened to you."

Isabelle crawled out of Dragonair's embrace to kneel in front of her boyfriend who now looked so fragile. She cupped his cheeks and made him look at her. "It'd be an honour to fight alongside you to defend the region you love. Please allow me."

"You're not taking no as an answer, anyway. No matter what I say," he remarked, forcing away his tension with a light chuckle.

"Nope." Isabelle kissed him full on the mouth. Not hungrily, like other kisses had been. This was more a devoted kind of kiss. A declaration of love. "I love you, Dom."

"Love ya too, Izz."

The decision was never explicitly voiced, but all knew it. When Lance presented them with bus tickets to Goldenrod City, their plans were final. They'd go to Johto and fight Pokémon poaching together.


	149. 149 Dragonite

**#149 Dragonite**

 _Dragonite, the Dragon Pokémon. The evolved form of Dragonair and the final evolution of Dratini. Despite its bulky build, Dragonite is capable of flying faster than the speed of sound. It can circle the globe in sixteen hours, which is about three times the speed of an average airplane. A kind-hearted Pokémon with human-like intelligence, Dragonite shows signs of altruism: it is said to save humans from drowning and lead lost or foundering ships to safety. However, it will go on an uncontrollable, destructive rampage if its environment is threatened. Dragonite is very rare in the wild, typically living near the sea. Some claim that there is an island somewhere in the ocean that only Dragonite inhabit._

With only a few days to go until they'd leave for Johto, Nurse Isabelle was missing. She did not pick up her phone, she did not answer emails. Dominic Whitewater was frantic. As he visited the Pokécentre she'd been last at, the male lobby nurse told him she had not checked out. However, when he came to her room, that's when he realised something was dreadfully wrong. Her backpack was still laid on the bed and most worryingly, her Pokéballs were there. She was gone and she had not taken her Pokémon with her. For someone as devoted to her little family as she was, this was unthinkable. That's when the fear crept in that something had happened to her. She'd never leave them willingly behind. Without wasting any more time, he called the police.

Seeing the poster of her likeness, which hung in every Pokémon centre in the region, hurt Dominic more than he could handle. Every officer was as close to their Pokémon as he and Izzy were, so the notion of leaving wilfully had been discarded quickly. They currently feared kidnapping or a fatal accident. An officer had tried to warn Dominic for the option of her being dead, but he would not hear anything of it. She was alive. She had to be.

That night, he could not sleep. He was entirely alert, filled with concern for his gorgeous girlfriend. He had been afraid something might happen to her and, now that such a thing had happened, he could not forgive himself nor let himself rest. He dressed, took both his own and her Pokémon, and left the centre in the dead of night. The police had his number. If there was any news, they knew how to reach him.

His wandering brought him to the sea, as though drawn by the salty breeze. The air churned with thunderclouds and rough waves broke against the pier. It fitted his mood, Dom thought. Despite the fact that nothing could be seen in this weather, he remained standing there. Perhaps it was the force of nature, normally so calming, that soothed his internal turmoil. Or perhaps he had seen something, for the idea was almost ridiculous. Barely any Pokémon known could withstand such a storm. But, impossibly, there it was again. Something shooting in and out of the clouds. Before Dom could make a guess as to what it was, it came right for him.

Startled, he leapt aside when a Dragonite descended onto the pier next to him. The first thought Dom had was that it made sense; Dragonite were one of the strongest fliers known. But then he noticed something much more worrying: the dragon was injured. His wings were slightly bent in a way that suggested an old fracture. He was thinner than he should be and old, poorly healed cuts marred his scales. In his eyes, Dom could see fear. Yet when he withdrew a hologram picture from his mailbag, a determined glint covered up the fear.

The image was both familiar and foreign to him. It portrayed a person with a feminine face and a blank look in her eyes. Her hair was hidden under a black cap. Yet he recognised her immediately and without a shadow of a doubt. This face had appeared to him both in and out of dreams. It was his Isabelle! A glance at Dragonite told him that the Pokémon understood.

"Take me to her," he demanded. Despite his emaciated frame, Dragonite allowed Dominic to climb up his back and then they were off. With what could have been an amazing flight, even in spite of the whipping winds and lashing rain, Dom's head was mostly filled with worry. Worry for Izzy, but also for this Dragonite. The way he sometimes lost altitude was extremely concerning. He knew his pretty nurse would go mad if she knew a Pokémon was treated this way.

They landed on an island, in front of what seemed to be a laboratory. All of the windows were shattered and it was in a horrible state of disrepair. No one could be seen. Dragonite left, possibly fearing to get caught transporting the ranger to this island. As he checked his phone, Dom saw his signal was jammed by something. Someone really did not want to be found.

Stepping through the doors which were barely holding onto its hinges, he set to exploring. He did not look at the paper lying on the ground. Old files of days past did not concern him. He was on a mission: find Nurse Isabelle and get out. It was the only thing giving him the apparent courage he mustered.

He found her in the main laboratory, where most of the experiments seemed to have been done. There she stood, on the other side of the room, wearing a floor-length black dress. Her hair was done up in the cap he had seen earlier and her face kept the same blank look. There was not a single sign of recognition.

Behind her stood a man in suit, clasping Isabelle's shoulder with a firm hand. The message was clear: she is not going anywhere. Just like his nurse, Dominic had no problem recognising the man; it was one of the wealthiest men in the Kanto region and the Viridian Gym Leader. Giovanni stood there, with his hand on Dom's girl, grinning as if he had already won. He beckoned to a Pokémon off to the side, which Dom did not recognise. It detached from a machine and approached the ranger at an ominously slow pace.


	150. 150 Mewtwo

**#150 Mewtwo**

 _Mewtwo, the Genetic Pokémon. Mewtwo was created after years of horrific gene splicing and DNA engineering experiments based on Mew. It is said to have the most savage heart among all Pokémon, lack compassion, and strike fear into its enemy with cold, glowing eyes. Because it was engineered to be the ultimate in battle, it can only think of defeating its foes. In my only encounter with it, Mewtwo exemplified these vicious characteristics and was shown to be capable of levitation, telepathy and mind control. Mewtwo conserves energy by remaining motionless in order to unleash its full power in battle. – Nurse Isabelle_

"Mewtwo will deal with you, intruder," a cold voice promised as the unfamiliar Pokémon hovered slightly above the ground, coming closer and closer to where Dominic Whitewater stood. This Mewtwo was like nothing Dom had ever known and so he called upon his friends and allies to help and protect him.

"Come out, everyone!" He shouted, tossing six Pokéballs up into the air. He summoned every Pokémon he currently had with him that was able to fight. Raichu, with her cheeks sparking furiously; Machoke, who beat his chest with his fists; Rhydon, who roared as he appeared; and Tauros, who scraped the ground with his hooves. Kingler was not with him anymore, having been sent to his younger brother to practice with. Chansey and Ponyta were also called. The Egg Pokémon would be able to support the others, and the blue-flamed horse was just as worthy as any of his. The baby Lapras was kept safely in her ball.

A bit ahead, Mewtwo laughed a deep, psychic chuckle. "Fool. You cannot stop me." Tauros, impatient as ever, roared and charged forward, intending to take down the unsettling opponent. However, with a simple flick of his wrist, Tauros was suspended in the air, floating and helpless. A flamethrower from Ponyta, also in blue fire, diverted Mewtwo's attention and forced him to drop the bull. That gave Dominic an idea on how to fight this thing.

He ordered the Pokémon never to attack alone. Rhydon, Tauros, and Machoke were the physical attackers. Raichu and Ponyta would use their special attacks. Chansey just had to do her thing. Dom wasn't entirely sure how to command her properly. Izzy would have known, he thought with a stab of pain as he looked at the immobile girl ahead, still in the grasp of Giovanni.

Every attack was deflected. Pokémon were swung around. Around them, the laboratory took the most damage of all. Rogue flames, lightning bolts and the simple collision of Tauros, Machoke and Rhydon's heavy, brawny bodies sent equipment flying and crashing into pieces. Mewtwo was barely hurt and Chansey kept their side in decent shape, but enough damage was done to the building that sections of ceiling began to clatter down. It was getting dangerous for everyone, including Giovanni himself.

"Mewtwo! Enough. We are out of here," Giovanni called, summoning the unnatural Pokémon back to his side. Obediently, Mewtwo returned with a mighty leap. Then the Viridian Gym Leader shoved Isabelle forward, causing her to fall to the ground. "Release her," he ordered his Pokémon. "We have no more need of her. You see, boy, all we needed her for was to revive Mewtwo, which she did splendidly. You can have the wench back. Shame of such a supple body, though."

The man in suit leered for a moment more at the woman with the blond hair before striding away. Without any thought of his own safety, the ranger dashed forward to pull the nurse into his arms. Her eyes were shut. She appeared to be unconscious. The sound of a helicopter taking off could be heard before Dom saw it fly away, though he'd all but forgotten Giovanni and Mewtwo with his nurse in such trouble. Machoke had followed him and was defensively punching away pieces of concrete as it fell down from the ceiling. They desperately needed to get out of here.

As he ran, he summoned some of his Pokémon back. Raichu, Ponyta and Tauros were recalled. That left Rhydon and Machoke for defence and Chansey, who could hopefully help her trainer.

Rushing through the double doors, which had now fallen off their hinges, Dominic gently laid Isabelle down on the filthy ground. Her hair stained from the dust and dirt but that was not his main concern now. She still had not opened her eyes, despite all the noise of a building collapsing. Chansey got to work: singing for her, trying to feed her some of her soft-boiled egg. Eventually, in frustration, she slapped her trainer, managing to hit her three times before Dom pulled her off. As he shouted furiously at the guilty-looking Pokémon, a soft moan could be heard. He was just in time to see Isabelle open her eyes, holding her sore cheeks with a look of confusion. Her mood did not improve when she saw where she was: a foreign island with a crumbling building in the middle of the night. She had no time to look at Dom for answers before he wrapped his arms around her in the tightest hug he dared, in case she was injured. He sobbed quietly, utterly relieved she was alive and back with him.


	151. 151 Mew

**#151 Mew**

 _Mew, the New Species Pokémon. Mew is said to have the DNA of every single Pokémon contained within its body, and as such is able to learn any attack. Upon the rare times it had been seen, it showed signs of intelligence, curiosity, playfulness, and even selflessness. Mew is incredibly adaptable, able to travel freely in the air or underwater. According to one observer, it can create a green/yellow/pink orb of energy around itself for protection. Reports found in Cinnabar Island's Pokémon Mansion note scientific expeditions that have sighted Mew in Guyana, South America, the place where it was first discovered. Since Mew can make itself invisible at will, very few people have knowingly seen it, leading some scientists to declare it extinct and most to assume it to be a mirage. It will only show itself to a person who is pure of heart._

As dawn broke upon the horizon, Nurse Isabelle explained what came back to her from her time with Giovanni and Mewtwo. The memories were hazy, but they had spoken of cloning the mother of all Pokémon, Mew, to create a new Pokémon. It was supposed to be the most powerful Pokémon on Earth and it seemed, from what Dominic told her, that they had succeeded. "They" were Team Rocket, the same ones Lance had told them about. That Giovanni was their leader had come as a real shock to Isabelle, who had met the guy several times. He was intimidating and unsettling, but she had not believed him to be evil.

Isabelle felt a little dizzy and weak, but there was no time to rest. The laboratory behind them was collapsing: large chunks of the ceiling fell, bringing pieces of walls down with them. The clouds of dust hurt their eyes and they were in constant danger of being crushed by the debris. Moving as close to the rocky beach as they could, Dom and Izzy surveyed the sea in front of them. The storm Dom had described had finished raging and the sea was calmer now. However, land was still not visible. Isabelle ran a hand through her hair, frustrated she had neither Pidgeot nor Dewgong with her.

"Oh there you are! I was worried for you!" Dominic exclaimed behind her, causing the exhausted nurse to turn around. She was silent for a moment as her boyfriend hugged the sickest Dragonite she had ever seen. When he proudly told her of how this Dragonite had flown him to this island, she burst:

"Are you insane?! Can you not see he's in a terrible shape? Poor darling. What happened to you?"

Dragonite and Dom both flinched at the harshness of her voice, which also cracked a few times.

"Hey, now. Listen to me, Izz. I know just as well that Dragonite needs desperate medical care. However, you were missing! He had a holo-pic of you. He knew where you were and was willing to take me. I did not force him to do anything! I want to help him as much as you, but saving you is my first priority, and Dragonite's too." Behind him, Dragonite nodded.

Pursing her lips, she knew he was right. Still, cranky from exhaustion as she was, she was not ready to admit that and apologise. Instead, she carefully approached the Dragonite, rubbing her hands over his dried out, cracked scales. She was careful not to touch the cuts, only inspecting them for infection. Luckily, they weren't infected, merely filthy from dust and ragged from lack of proper care.

"Poor sweetheart," she whispered. The young nurse used endearments more often for her patients. It both settled them and felt right to use, in the way Izzy had seen some women call every baby and child by endearments. "I can't begin to imagine how you feel." As she inspected his poorly healed broken wing, she had an idea, though it wasn't a good one. "Dragonite? I need you to fly us back to the mainland. To where you found Dominic. There, I can treat you. We'll wash you, feed you, and make you feel better. You can stay with us as long as you wish, and when you feel healthy enough to leave, you may."

Dominic looked up in surprise. First Isabelle had chastised him for flying on an injured Dragonite and now she wished to do the same? Though, when he thought about it, they didn't have a single other option. If Isabelle hadn't been found in the while she had been missing, they would not be found either.

Dragonite, bless him, agreed and spread his wings. A wince passed over Izzy's face upon seeing in what a state his glorious wings were; they were broken and poorly healed in some places and the membrane was cut. These weren't battle scars. These were signs of abuse. The nurses had spent a short while on recognising such injuries in school, because their attentiveness could rescue a Pokémon in a poor home.

The flight was terrific. Despite his emaciated frame, Dragonite remained a powerful flyer. He did not show any discomfort and never expressed any pain. Many people, including Izzy, could learn from the way he dealt with misery.

Back at the Pokémon centre Izzy had resided at, a pandemonium started when the missing nurse landed on an emaciated Dragonite. After assuring everyone she was fine and leaving Dom to make a statement, since she couldn't remember much of it, she rushed Dragonite into a treatment room. The moment she closed the door, the sounds were muffled and all was quiet.

Normally, she'd head for a shower first, but not this time. For once she did not mind that her hair was greasy and filthy and she couldn't care less about the black dress she wore, of which the origin was unknown. All that mattered was Dragonite.

As she prepared hot water with antiseptics and mashed some berries into a paste which would clear any poison in his body, relax his muscles and dull the pain, Dominic entered the treatment room. He wrapped an arm around Izzy, kissed her forehead, and handed her the large bowl of warm Pokémon food.

"Freshly made," he smiled at Dragonite as the nurse mixed the berry paste in.

"Make sure he eats as much of this as he can. He'll feel much better. I'll wash out his cuts," Isabelle said softly before looking pained at the broken wings.

"What's wrong, Iz?" Dominic missed nothing, it seems.

"The standard procedure for improperly healed bones is to break them again and set them right this time. I'd hate to do it so soon after we rescued him." The frown on Dom's face told her he understood. They looked at each other for a moment before getting to work, feeding and disinfecting their charge.

As Isabelle had expected, Dragonite did not like the anti-septic water. It took all of the food and many kinds words to convince him to stay long enough so that even half of the wounds have been treated. Sighing in frustration, the nurse backed off, draining the filthy water in the sink.

"What do we do now?" Dominic asked.

"Mew!"

"What?! Izz, act normal," the ranger snapped. His patience was thin as well since he'd had a hectic, long day as well.

"Hm? That wasn't me," Izzy said as she turned around, having washed her hands.

"Mew!"

"There it is again! Where is it coming from?" Dom asked, frantically looking around the treatment room. Isabelle had a feeling in her stomach she knew what it was, yet did not dare voice her thoughts.

Nearby Dragonite, a pink Pokémon made itself visible. It hovered for a while before resting on the dragon's head. Dragonite had a look of wonder on his face, rivalled only by that of Dominic.

"Is that…?"

"The mythical Pokémon Mew. Yes," Izzy answered. This was a once-in-a-lifetime event. Rumour went that Mew only showed itself to the most pure-hearted, but that could not be true, right? Isabelle was a nurse and Dominic was a ranger. They'd seen plenty of darkness. Or could Mew be here for Dragonite? Izzy could believe that.

Both watched the pink, cat-like Pokémon hover around Dragonite, lifting its spirits more than Izzy and Dom combined could have done. Isabelle gasped when Mew began to glow brighter and brighter until looking at it hurt her eyes. Then the pink Pokémon fell out of the air, caught by Izzy who had expected this to happen.

As she held the surprisingly light Pokémon loosely in her arms, she watched Dragonite begin to feel the effects of Mew's sacrifice. With some pops, the wings straightened as he stretched them out. His cuts began to heal and a healthier shine entered his eyes. He was still too thin and probably had some mental issues, but Mew's Healing Wish, which caused it to lose consciousness, had saved Dragonite a lot of suffering.

Dominic looked from Dragonite to his girlfriend holding Mew and smiled warmly at her. "Healing Wish, eh? I've heard of it. Pretty useful, I've gotta say." Isabelle chuckled as Dom's accent thickened. He sat down next to her on the bed as the dragon stood up and stretched his wings, probably feeling better than he had in a long time. "Giovanni probably fled to Johto, along with that Mewtwo of his. I don't say this often, but that Pokémon is seriously disturbing."

Isabelle laughed, despite the pit of terror in her stomach. Even to her, the laugh sounded strained. With a sigh, she looked down at Mew, stroking the silky soft fur of its head. It would probably wake up soon.

"Even after this, you're determined to come?" Isabelle nodded, giving him a look. Instead of chuckling, he rubbed his neck. "Then I need to ask you one more question before we leave for Johto." He stood up, looking a bit uncomfortable. This pulled Isabelle's attention away from the sleeping innocence that was Mew. After a few more embarrassed shuffles, Dom went down on one knee. With a slight gasp, Izzy's eyes widened but she held firm reins on her emotions in case this was a false alarm.

"Isabelle Lavender Evergreen," he began, receiving a surprised eyebrow raise. "Yes, I looked it up. Suits ya, in my opinion." He gave her one of those smiles that made her stomach leap. "I came to Kanto to look for myself. To search for something that would give me direction. A confirmation of what to live for. And I found you. A stubborn little nurse with the most charming smile I've ever seen. Your passion for Pokémon re-ignited mine. Being with you reminded me why I love working so much with Pokémon. Being with you brings me joy, and whenever we're apart, I think of you all the time. I have a phone bill as my witness." He winced, making Izzy laugh for she had had the exact same, high bill thanks to all their texts and phone calls.

"You make me want to be a better man. I cannot hide you from danger, as I have sometimes wished I could. However, I can stand next to you to support you in every way and protect you from harm. It'd be an honour to do so. Isabelle, will you marry me?"

Placing Mew on the bed next to her, she wrapped her arms tightly around his neck and kissed him, landing painfully on both knees on the hard floor. They laughed and kissed and she even shed tears.

"I have no ring to give you. I know you're not allowed to wear one with your job, though," he said in an embarrassed manner. "I know I should have purchased something, but I did not really plan to do it now, like this. It just …"

She shut him up with another kiss. "I would love to marry you!"

They were so wrapped up in another that they did not notice Mew waking up and leaving again, but that was alright. They had each other, standing on the brink of a new adventure in Johto.

* * *

 **This is the end of season 1 of _Nurse Isabelle and the Kanto Pokédex_. I hope you all had fun. I know I did. It's been an intense journey. Looking back at the chapters I've written almost exactly a year ago, I see I've improved as an author. Truly one of the most humbling experiences I've had.**

 **If you wish to be notified when season 2 starts, let me know in a review or comment and/or follow me.**

 **Now, I'd like to thank some people. Without them, I could never have written this story:**

 **To AzurAurora: Despite us having terminated our friendship, I would never have started writing in the Pokémon fandom without her. Without her, this story would not have existed. Aurora, thank you.**

 **To the readers : your numbers never failed to amaze me. Thank you for staying with me till the end. Readers, thank you.**

 **To everyone who faved or followed my story: Your support kept me going. Favers and followers, thank you.**

 **To everyone who left one or a handful of reviews, anonymous or not: You guys are amazing. Your reviews gave me faith. Reviewers, thank you.**

 **To AlmightyCat: you were the first one to review from day 1. You kept this up until real-life caught up with you. You kept my story alive when it was an unknown, tiny sprout. Your belief in me helped my story grow. Wherever you are now, I hope you are well. Almightycat, thank you.**

 **To DragonFelicis: You were a true asset to the team. Your ideas were brilliant and your suggestions very helpful. I always looked forward to your reviews. I haven't seen you in while. I hope you are well. DragonFelicis, thank you.**

 **To DesertDancer: Your unwavering faith in me and my story has humbled me many times. Over the many messages, we've become friends. You've left a clear mark on my story and helped it shape to how it's become. DesertDancer, thank you.**

 **To SinnohFirefly: You beautiful soul. I've often wondered how someone can be so filled with love. Your reviews are pure sunshine and your messages brimming with the warmth of love. (That's why they're always so long). This story would not have been the same without you, and neither would I. Firefly, thank you.**

 **And now the most important person of all: Raxen, my editor. I don't know where to begin. This story would crumble without you. I may be the writer, but your endless support and love makes you as invaluable as the writer herself is. When things grew bad, you'd carry me. I was never alone, writing this story. You've always been my number one fan. Raxen, you're the Dominic to my Isabelle, and I could never thank you enough. I am so proud to call you my boyfriend, a relationship that has grown along with the story, from a starting friendship to how close we are now. Raxen, thank you.**


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